Direct maritime transport commences between Tunisia and Morocco

09/04/2008

In an effort to cut costs and expand the volume of trade between the two countries, Tunisia and Morocco launched a new direct maritime trade route last week between the ports of Radès and Casablanca.

By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 09/04/08

[File] Sightings of Gibraltar will become more frequent for Tunisians and Moroccans travelling on the new direct maritime route between the ports at Radès and Casablanca.

Tunisia launched the first transport ship Friday (April 4th) on its new direct line to Morocco, in the presence of Transportation Minister Abderrahim Zouari and Moroccan Ambassador Nejib Zerouali. The new direct route – operated by two privately-owned companies in Tunisia and Morocco – will save time for both countries, taking just four days instead of the previous two-week route that passed through Malta or Marseille.

During the launch ceremony, the Tunisian minister said, "The opening of this regular direct sea line comes within the framework of recommendations made during the meeting of the Tunisian-Moroccan High Joint Committee."

The joint committee approved the undertaking during its 14th round, held February 22nd in Tunis. Mokhtar Rachdi, General Manager of the Tunisian merchant marine, said in press statements that the initiative resulted from an increased volume of commercial exchange between the two countries.

According to Maghreb trade experts, the new route became necessary due to the high costs of air transport and the lengthy delays in maritime trade via Europe. One diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity said, "More importantly, the current stalemate in Algerian-Moroccan relations has had a profound effect on the transport of commodities between Morocco and Tunisia. The closure of the border between Algeria and Morocco has denied the two countries, as well as Tunisia, the use of railroad transport, which is much less expensive than maritime and air transport."

Mokhtar Rachdi said he expects the direct sea line, which runs between the ports of Radès in Tunisia and Casablanca in Morocco, to enhance trade in the Maghreb as maritime operators from Algeria, Libya and Mauritania follow suit. He said the operators hope "the volume of commercial exchange between the Maghreb countries [will] increase from 4% to 10% in the near future."

Meanwhile, Nadia Iraki, Rachdi's Moroccan counterpart, said the saved transport time "will definitely lead to a reduction of costs, and, consequently, to the increase of goods movement."

Although the volume of trade between Morocco and Tunisia has seen significant growth, it is still below the desired level as compared to either country's commercial exchange with the European Union.

A recent economic report released by Tunisia's Ministry of Foreign Trade revealed that Tunisian-Moroccan trade was estimated at $300 million in 2007, while trade with the EU amounted to $55 billion over the same year.

According to Mohammed Karia, General Manager of the Moroccan Maritime Company, commodities transported between Tunisia and Morocco last year amounted to 212,000 tonnes.

Maher Gargouri of the Tunisian Maritime Transport Company said the route will be serviced by a Moroccan vessel with a 70-container capacity and 33 motor boats that will run between Radès and Casablanca every ten days.

Mohammed Adam Saknoun, an Algerian maritime operator who attended the launch ceremony, expressed his aspirations to join the new project. "Our presence in Radès today reflects our keenness to explore [similar] co-operation between Tunisia and Algeria," he said.

Tunisian Trade and Handicrafts Minister Ridha Touiti expects that "the size of commercial exchange between Tunisia and Morocco will significantly increase in the coming years", due to enhanced co-operation under the Arab free-trade zone and the Agadir Agreement, between Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan and Egypt.