Four decades after signing a bilateral agreement with Morocco to explore the feasibility of a tunnel linking the two shores, Spain has relaunched technical studies for what could become one of the most ambitious engineering projects in history: a 38-kilometer undersea tunnel. According to Spanish media, the government has commissioned the public company Ineco to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study to assess whether this long-envisioned project can transition from a geostrategic ambition to a tangible reality. As detailed on the government procurement portal, €1.63 million has been allocated for the study, which will include an integrated analysis of the tunnel's physical, functional, and financial dimensions. This includes evaluating seabed drilling feasibility, estimating future passenger and freight demand, and modeling economic return scenarios for an investment expected to cost billions. The initiative falls under the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, financed by the European Union's NextGenerationEU program. Two potential starting points on the Spanish coast are currently under consideration: the Algeciras area—home to a strategic port and rail hub—and the coast near Tarifa. On the Moroccan side, the tunnel would connect to an area near Tangier. The leading proposal envisions a 38.5-kilometer tunnel, including 27.7 kilometers beneath the sea, consisting of twin rail tunnels drilled through a geologically complex and seismically active region. The final technical feasibility report is expected by June 2025. Though preliminary studies began in the 1980s, the project has gained renewed momentum following a diplomatic thaw between Madrid and Rabat. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's official visit to Rabat in April 2022 marked a turning point in bilateral relations. During a 2023 high-level meeting, then-Transport Minister Raquel Sánchez called the project «strategic» for both nations. As part of this renewed effort, the Spanish government launched further technical assessments, including the deployment of four seismic monitoring devices in November 2024 to continue seabed analysis.
