Photo illustration / Gemini ‹ › On November 6, 2023, King Mohammed VI urged the establishment of a «strong and competitive national merchant marine fleet». Two years later, the initiative remains stagnant. This Tuesday, December 16, during the oral questions session at the Chamber of Advisors, the Minister of Transport announced the launch of an extensive international study. This effort is in line with the royal directives to craft a new strategy for building a robust and competitive maritime fleet, he explained. Abdessamad Kayouh highlighted that the study will involve several ministries, including those of the Interior, Agriculture, Equipment and Transport, Maritime Fishing, Energy and Mines, Foreign Affairs, and Finance. This announcement mirrors a previous statement by Mohammed Abdeljalil, former Minister of Transport and member of the Istiqlal Party, like his successor. «The Moroccan government is preparing to launch a strategic study on the creation of a strong national merchant marine fleet», he declared on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, during the weekly oral questions session at the Chamber of Advisors. He also stressed that his department «aims to create favorable conditions to stimulate investments in this sector». In his speech on November 6, 2023, marking the 48th anniversary of the Green March, the king explicitly linked the establishment of a national maritime fleet to the development of the southern provinces and the kingdom's strategic projects in Africa.
