Country secures $1.5 billion rail deal — here's how it could reshape everyday travel
Morocco has approved a project worth nearly $1.53 billion to install double-decker electric trains across the country.
According to Environment+Energy Leader, Hyundai Rotem will deliver the electric trains to Morocco's national railway operator, ONCF, with nearly 90 percent of the parts being sourced from the company's home of South Korea.
In an interview with The Korea Times, Moroccan ambassador to South Korea Chafik Rachadi said the deal will set Morocco apart as a global leader in utilizing renewable energy.
Electric trains will allow urban and suburban areas to have functional public transportation that does not rely on dirty energy, allowing for travel that is both efficient and green. Morocco's growing investment in solar and wind power further amplifies the environmental upside of this shift.
Other cities around the world, such as Boston, have also implemented this technology. In addition to saving on diesel fuel, trains have proved to be an effective method of transport — both on the environmental and individual level.
"Companies are increasingly recognizing Morocco's strategic advantages, and the recent $1.5 billion contract between Hyundai Rotem and the Moroccan national railway operator is a testament to the country's attractiveness as an investment destination," said Rachadi.
"As a strategic gateway to Africa, Morocco stands out as a leader in sustainable development, renewable energy and innovation," Rachadi said, emphasizing both the political and environmental impacts this new deal will have for Morocco.
With construction already underway and regional momentum building, Morocco's rail renaissance might just be the beginning of something much bigger.
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