Dubai-based logistics company DP World has announced the launch of a new maritime service connecting Morocco to the UK and Northern Europe, designed to cut export times for fresh produce by nearly two days. The service, called Atlas, will link the ports of Agadir and Casablanca with DP World's terminals at London Gateway and Antwerp Gateway, starting November 2025, reads a press release on Thursday. According to DP World, the route will shift up to 150,000 tonnes of fresh produce from road to sea annually, reducing CO2 emissions by about 70%, or up to 250 kg per tonne-km, compared to traditional trucking. This provides a more reliable and sustainable alternative to congested routes such as Tangier–Algeciras or Calais–Dover, especially for delicate products like tomatoes and blueberries. «This service is built on three pillars: reliability, speed, and a modern digital platform, offering exporters and distributors an alternative to road transport while ensuring better product quality, optimized costs, and a significant reduction in CO2 emissions», Rashid Abdulla, CEO and Managing Director of DP World Europe, said. To support the project, DP World has invested in a new fleet of 1,250 modern refrigerated containers, along with 1,000 high-cube 40-foot units and 750 dry containers, meeting rising demand for general cargo flows. Through its digital platform CARGOES, the group will provide full visibility and end-to-end tracking of shipments. Morocco already exports more than 6.5 million tonnes of fruits and vegetables annually to Western Europe, with growth of over 20% each year. For Markus Rodatz, DP World's Head of Freight Operations in Europe, «the new service will ensure products arrive fresher, faster, and in better condition, while helping customers meet their environmental goals». The official launch of the Atlas service will take place at an event in Agadir on September 18, 2025.
