2 days ago
Italy's SITE wins €140mln contracts for Morocco's high-speed rail expansion
Italian engineering company SITE announced on Monday that it has secured two contracts valued at over €140 million from Morocco's national railway operator, Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF) for the new high-speed rail line linking Kénitra to Marrakech.
SITE has been appointed as the system integrator for the 400-kilometre rail corridor's telecommunications, power supply, and cybersecurity systems, the company said in a press statement.
The project is split into two main technology packages: GSM-R mobile telecommunications and rail signaling systems. The signaling package has been awarded to a consortium led by Compagnie des Signaux, and comprising SITE and GCF.
As part of its scope, SITE will oversee:
• Design and implementation of the GSM-R telecommunications system;
• A high-capacity DWDM data transmission network;
• Cybersecurity architecture for all systems;
• Power systems design and commissioning, along with civil works.
SITE said these will be integrated and fully interoperable with the ERTMS Level 2 signaling standard, supporting train speeds of up to 320 km/h. SITE's cybersecurity solutions will span all critical systems, reflecting the company's strategic focus on safeguarding vital infrastructure.
The Kénitra–Marrakech line is part of Morocco's national rail development strategy, which aims to:
• Build 1,300 km of high-speed rail and 3,800 km of medium-speed lines;
• Expand service coverage to 43 cities from the current 23;
• Extend rail access to 87 percentt of the population.
The new high-speed line will connect strategic intermodal and airport hubs, including Casablanca and Marrakech, as well as stadiums such as Moulay Abdellah and Hassan II, and contribute to the country's infrastructure readiness for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
(Writing by Majda Muhsen; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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