Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries have joined the bidding for a 30-year operating rights contract for a new shipyard in Casablanca, Morocco. The tender has attracted multiple shipbuilders to compete.
Foreign media recently reported that Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries have both entered the bidding process for the operational rights of the new shipyard in Casablanca. With this development, all three major South Korean shipbuilders, including HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, have now joined the bidding competition.
Previously, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries had partnered with Moroccan engineering firm Somagec to advance the bidding process. However, regarding the bidding rumors reported by foreign media, a Samsung Heavy Industries representative stated, “We are not currently reviewing any related matters.”
During this bidding process, South Korean shipbuilders emphasized localization strategies, seeking to differentiate themselves by proposing investment support for Morocco, talent development programs and technology transfer plans.
Besides South Korea’s three major shipbuilders, Bulgarian shipbuilder MTG Dolphin, Italian shipyard Palumbo, French Naval Group, and Spanish state-owned shipbuilder Navantia have also joined the bidding. Industry insiders believe that Navantia is unlikely to win the bid, as this tender aims to help Morocco keep pace with its Spanish counterparts in the shipbuilding industry.
It is understood that the bidding process for the 30-year operating rights of the new shipyard in Casablanca, Morocco, is being advanced by the Moroccan National Ports Authority (MNP). Participation is restricted to companies with over ten years of shipyard operational experience, with the bidding deadline set for December 31, 2025.
MNP stated that due to Morocco’s lack of shipbuilding expertise, it has decided to entrust the shipyard’s operational management to a foreign shipbuilding enterprise, while overseeing the development, operation, and maintenance of the new facility.
According to reports, the proposed shipyard is located in Casablanca, the largest commercial city on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. It covers an area of approximately 210,000 square meters and has a total investment of approximately US$300 million. The shipyard will include a 244-meter-long and 40-meter-wide dry dock; a 150-meter-long and 28-meter-wide crane platform with a load capacity of 9,000 tons; a 62-meter-long and 13-meter-wide water tank equipped with a 450-ton gantry crane; and an 820-meter-long outfitting wharf, among other major facilities. It will be capable of building merchant ships, warships and fishing vessels.