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Morocco World
11-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Spain's Port Official Commends Morocco's Advanced Port Infrastructure
Rabat – Santiago J. Castella Surribas, the president of the Port of Tarragona in Spain, commended Morocco's port infrastructure, noting that the North African country has made remarkable development in this sector. Over the past 25 years, Morocco has made significant strides in modernizing the country's infrastructure to secure a key position in international trade, he said. He made his remarks during a meeting with Morocco's ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich, where he stressed Morocco's strategic positioning of its global trade infrastructure. During the meeting, he also called for strengthening cooperation between Spain and Morocco in order to fully leverage the shared opportunities available to both countries for mutually beneficial development. Benyaich made several meetings with other Spanish officials, including the Mayor of Tarragona and the Mayor of Cambrils, as well as the Spanish government's deputy delegate in Tarragona, with discussions focusing on the Moroccan diaspora's significant role in Catalonia. Morocco hosts major ports, including the Tanger Med Port. This particular port finished the 2024 fiscal year with a revenue of $1.212 billion, a marked increase of 12.3 % compared to 2023. It handled 10.24 million twenty-foot equivalent units, reaffirming its standing as a regional hub and its role as a key platform for national imports and exports. A recent ranking by Alphaliner placed the Moroccan port 17th worldwide, reflecting the port's strength and importance as a regional and international leader. In the past few years, many Spanish media outlets have been concerned about the Moroccan port's performance, which has been outperforming major international hubs in the European country. El País was among the international media that conveyed these concerns, especially in 2021, when the Spanish news outlet said that Morocco's hub performance reflected a 'negative' impact on Spanish ports. 'Spain has been losing ground since King Mohammed VI inaugurated this infrastructure in 2007,' El País wrote. Tags: relations between spain and MoroccoSpain and Morocco relations
Morocco World
29-04-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Tanger Med Port Reached Over $1.2 Billion Revenue in 2024
Rabat – The Tanger Med Port finished the 2024 fiscal year with a revenue of MAD 11.23 billion ($1.212 billion), marking an increase of 12.3% compared to 2023. The Tangier Med Group said the port reached a historic milestone in 2024 as it handled 10.24 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). With these figures, the port reaffirmed its standing as a regional hub and its role as a key platform for national imports and exports. The statement described the port as the leading hub in the Mediterranean and Africa, recalling the latest ranking by Alphaliner, which placed the Moroccan port 17th worldwide. Tanger Med Group operates 25 terminals for handling containers and bulk cargo through Marsa Maroc, which also celebrated a record-breaking year with 63.3 million tons handled. This represents an 11% increase compared to 2023. The Group's total cargo volume, including performances from the operator of the Tanger Med Port Complex and Marsa Maroc, reached 187 million tons and 11.33 million TEUs over the past year. It also manages over 3,000 hectares of economic activity zones, hosting over 1,400 companies that are active in different key sectors like the automotive, aerospace, textile, agri-good, and logistics domains. These sectors generated a total business volume of MAD 174 billion in 2024, creating over 130,000 job opportunities. Annual growth recorded by the port has long been a concern for neighbouring countries, including Spanish media. Several news outlets have shared concerns about the Moroccan port outperforming major international hubs in Spain. In 2021, Spanish newspaper El País stressed the importance of Tanger Med Port, noting that its performance reflected a 'negative' impact on Spanish ports. 'Spain has been losing ground since King Mohammed VI inaugurated this infrastructure in 2007,' El País wrote. Several government reports from Spain also highlighted the Moroccan hub's impressive performance. One report in 2022 noted that Spanish port Algeciras risked losing up to 60% of its container shipments to Morocco's Tangier Med Port. Tags: Morocco's Tangier Med portUSS Elrod Docked In Tangier Port
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China port fees need more nuanced strategy, shipping industry tells hearing
The first of two days of federal hearings March 24-25 on proposed port fees targeting Chinese ships as expected drew opposition from trade-related maritime industry stakeholders who said that while they support a revitalization of U.S. shipbuilding, the charges in most cases will make their cost of doing business more expensive. The fees, which are aimed at helping to restore America's maritime might, unsurprisingly did find support from domestic shipbuilding interests and unions. The fees proposed by the United States trade representative (USTR) in February would charge as much as $1.5 million per port call in the U.S. for any container ship built in China, regardless of ownership or flag. Vessels such as crude carriers would also be subject to the fees. A total 37.8% of the current active container ship fleet was built in Chinese shipyards, according to analyst Alphaliner. The current container ship orderbook consisting of just under 800 vessels with a total capacity of over 9 million twenty-foot equivalent units has over 70% of its units placed with Chinese shipyards. Of the top 10 shipyards in terms of vessels on order, seven are in China. The public testimony follows a Section 301 petition filed by five labor unions in March 2024, alleging unfair trade practices by China in the maritime sector. A subsequent USTR report agreed, calling China's actions unreasonable and a burden on U.S. commerce. At the hearing held at the International Trade Commission in Washington March 24, a number of unions including the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Coast Longshore Division, voiced strong support for the USTR's proposed remedies, emphasizing the need to revitalize American shipbuilding and counter China's unfair trade practices, which they argued have led to job losses and weakened the U.S. industrial base. They recommended that proceeds from proposed port service fees be directed to a trust fund for shipbuilding industrial base and workforce development. A key concern raised by the ILWU was the potential for diversion of United States-bound cargo to ports in Mexico or Canada, for later transshipment to the U.S., suggesting a land border fee to address this issue. Representatives of the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry and the China Shipowners' Association told the hearing they opposed the proposed actions, arguing they would harm the global maritime industry, disrupt supply chains, and negatively impact the U.S. economy by increasing freight costs and reducing port throughput. They maintained that China's shipbuilding success was due to innovation and hard work, not unfair practices. Congressional testimony was provided throughout the day. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., testified in support of stronger remedies, advocating direct support to revitalize U.S. shipbuilding and related industries. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., a former Navy officer, echoed these sentiments, highlighting national security concerns and urging bipartisan action to strengthen remedies. Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from heavily unionized Michigan, emphasized the importance of a level playing field for American workers and supported the proposed actions, including service fees and addressing security concerns about Chinese logistics software. New Jersey Democrat Donald Norcross, whose south Jersey district abuts shipyards and maritime businesses outside the Port of Philadelphia, stressed the need to revitalize the shipbuilding sector and ensure funds collected from Section 301 actions are reinvested in the industry. Another witness panel included representatives from major American steel companies such as Cleveland-Cliffs (NYSE: CLF), Nucor (NYSE: NUE) and the Alliance for American Manufacturing. They advocated 'Buy America' provisions and financial incentives for American shipbuilders. But a panel of American shipping companies including World Direct Shipping, Tropical Shipping, the Chamber of Shipping of America and Unitcargo Container Line, told the hearing that the proposed port fees would disproportionately harm American-owned carriers, particularly those serving short-sea routes between domestic ports. They argued for exemptions for American-owned companies and raised concerns about increased costs for American exporters and consumers, potential cargo diversion, and the lack of viable alternatives to Chinese-built vessels in the short term. Representatives from other U.S.-based shipping companies Seaboard Marine Ltd., Linea Peninsular Inc., North Florida Shipping Inc. and Bermuda Container Line reiterated concerns about the disproportionate impact of port fees on smaller carriers and those serving specific trade routes such as the Caribbean. They, too, requested exemptions for U.S.-owned companies and suggested alternative fee structures, such as per-container fees. Canadian panelists from the Ontario Marine Council and the Chamber of Marine Commerce cautioned against unintended consequences of the proposed actions on the integrated U.S.-Canada maritime trade, particularly on Great Lakes shipping. They proposed a more targeted approach focusing on long-haul shipping and exemptions for short-sea shipping, to protect essential cross-border trade. A multinational maritime group that included the World Shipping Council, the International Chamber of Shipping, Caribbean-based Caricom Private Sector Organisation and the U.S. Northwest Seaport Alliance voiced strong concerns about the potential damage to the U.S. economy, increased costs for consumers and exporters, and the risk of cargo diversion. They argued that the proposed fees were disconnected from the goal of changing China's behavior and urged for a more balanced approach, with some suggesting exemptions for Caricom states or a focus on long-haul voyages. Find more articles by Stuart Chirls freight volumes mixed at Gulf Coast ports China blocks sale of Panama Canal shipping terminals to US investor: Reports Port of Savannah sets record container, rail and truck moves in February Trump tariff fears plague ocean container rates The post China port fees need more nuanced strategy, shipping industry tells hearing appeared first on FreightWaves.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Port Fees on Chinese Ships Would ‘Distort Competition,' But Who Benefits?
Proposed fees on Chinese-built ships calling at U.S. ports could potentially 'distort competition' in container shipping as we know it, according to one industry consultancy. Container shipping research firm Alphaliner named HMM (Hyundai Merchant Marine), Yang Ming and Evergreen as the big winners of a port fee-inclusive shipping environment ahead of the second day of Congressional hearings on the proposal Wednesday. More from Sourcing Journal Red Sea Crisis at Center of Trump Admin's Group Chat Gaffe Maersk Plans $500 Million Upgrades for NY/NJ Port Terminal Retailers Grow Concerned Over Proposed Port Fees for Chinese Ships Evergreen made 53 calls at U.S. ports in February, but none of the ships from the Taiwan-based ocean carrier were built in mainland China. HMM made 15 port calls during the month, only using South Korea-built vessels. Taiwan's other major carrier, Yang Ming, had just one port call with a Chinese-built ship, across the 23 stops it made in the U.S. that month. As per the proposed fees, any vessel operator stopping at a U.S. port with a Chinese-built ship would have to pay up to $1.5 million per port call, depending on the percentage of Chinese-built vessels they have in their fleet. Of the three carriers, only Yang Ming would have to pay the $1.5 million fee for its one stop it made at The Port of Tacoma with the 12,726-container capacity YM Truth vessels. Two of the three carriers also have a major edge compared to their counterparts due to their current orderbook. With the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) proposal, carriers would be charged up to $1 million per port call if more than 50 percent of their newbuilding orders are with Chinese shipyards. Lesser fines would be imposed depending on the percentage of incoming ships out of China. According to data from freight benchmarking platform Xeneta, both Yang Ming and HMM have no orders coming out of China. For Evergreen, the story gets slightly more complicated as 17 percent of its orderbook originates in China. That would subject the company to up to $500,000 per vessel entrance to a U.S. port, under the proposed actions. But Evergreen's orderbook percentage remains far below the other major carriers who already making calls to U.S. ports with Chinese-built ships. Alphaliner said the carriers with the most U.S. calls using Chinese-built vessels were Maersk (38 vessels out of a total of 214), ZIM (37 ships out of 73), CMA CGM (36 of 139), MSC (34 of 218) and China's Cosco Shipping (25 of 72). 'It is obvious that these carriers would like to replace those ships in US liner services if the fee proposal were implemented. This would create a problem for ZIM, as the 37 calls with vessels made in China represent just over half its total calls,' said Alphaliner in its weekly newsletter. ZIM would get a major reprieve in the long run since it currently has no Chinese vessels in its orderbook, according to Xeneta. To assess the potential effect of this fee structure, Alphaliner analyzed the calls of all container ships carrying more than 1,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) operated by the top 10 carriers at the 20 biggest U.S. ports in February. Alphaliner counted 1,002 port calls, 190 of which were made by Chinese-built ships (19 percent). These calls were realized by 488 different vessels. While the proposed fee structure would be imposed due to the USTR's finding of China's 'unreasonable' dominance as a maritime, logistics and shipbuilding nation, most of the container ships entering U.S. ports in February were built in South Korea (54.5 percent), according to Alphaliner. China comes in second place (20.9 percent), with Japan following in third (12.3 percent). Although the $1.5 million fee has been the most widely reported of the penalties levied after the nine-month USTR investigation, much of the controversy surrounding the punitive measures surrounds the fact that many of these levies would add up significantly and pass on costs to importers and exporters alike. Container shipping giants that build their ships in China like Cosco Shipping and its subsidiary Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) would be paying up to $3.5 million per port call under the circumstances currently laid out. This would cost a pretty penny for many importers, as 17 percent of U.S. inbound container cargo from the Far East comes on Chinese carriers, according to container shipping analysis firm Linerlytica. After Wednesday's Congressional hearing, the USTR will review the testimonies and written submissions laid out by shipping firms, retailers, manufacturers, farmers and other importers and exporters 'to determine the appropriateness and feasibility of the proposed actions.' Despite the calamity over the fees themselves, U.S. sentiment toward the actions against China are largely supported by citizens and lawmakers across parties—especially the latter, which have introducing bipartisan legislation to revitalize American shipbuilding. Seventy-two percent of Americans agree that the U.S. cannot remain dependent on foreign manufacturers to build ships, according to a survey from the Alliance for American Manufacturing. The 2,200-respondent survey indicated that 68 percent agree that the nation's ability to build ships for both commercial and military needs is a matter of national security.
Morocco World
25-03-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Tanger Med Rises to 17th in Global Port Rankings, Outpaces Global Rivals
Rabat – Tanger Med continues to solidify Morocco's leadership in port operations across Africa and the Mediterranean. The port has risen in global rankings, securing 17th place worldwide in the latest Alphaliner report, which lists the top 30 container ports globally. In 2024, Tanger Med handled 10.24 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a notable increase from 8.61 million TEUs the previous year. This growth has propelled the Moroccan port ahead of established global players like Hamburg, which ranks 24th with 7.82 million TEUs, and Jakarta, which is 27th with 6.75 million TEUs. The global ranking is topped by Shanghai, with 51.5 million TEUs, followed by Singapore (41.12 million), Ningbo-Zhoushan (39.3 million), and Shenzhen (33.39 million). Dubai ranks 10th, handling 15.53 million TEUs, outperforming Rotterdam, which holds the 12th spot with 13.82 million TEUs. Tanger Med's impressive performance is attributed to the port's ongoing investments in infrastructure, the addition of new equipment, and improvements in operational efficiency. These changes have helped streamline operations, reducing waiting times and improving maneuvering speed – all of which contributed to the port's record growth in 2024. Notably, Tanger Med is the only port in the Mediterranean and Africa to rank among the top 30 in the world. In June 2024, Tanger Med ranked fourth in the World Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) for 2023, marking its second consecutive year as the top port in both Africa and Europe.
