mercredi 30 septembre 2009

Tangier Med: An ambitious construction program in Morocco

Tangier Med is a new passenger and cargo port located on the Straits of Gibraltar about 40 km east of Tangier in Morocco and 15 km from Spain at the shortest distance between Africa and Europe. The ambitious construction program was officially inaugurated in July 2007 by King Mohammed VI and the government body Tangier Mediterranean Special Agency (TMSA) is overseeing the whole project.
Tangier Med Port is determined to comply with the highest international safety and security standards. It will not only be compliant with the ISPS Code, but will also have its security organization compliant with the requirements of recent European directives and compliant with the safety requirements set by IMO (International Maritime Organization). The TMSA has therefore, following a competitive tender process, contracted TEAM to design and manufacture four modern Passenger Boarding Bridges which will facilitate safe and secure boarding and disembarkment for the 2 million ferry passengers expected to transit the passenger terminal.
TEAM will deliver the four PBBs to the new ferry terminal at Tangier Med in the first quarter of 2010. Two different SEDNA designs will be installed; two PBBs with two large tunnel sections leading from the ferry entry door to quay level, and two PBBs with one large tunnel section leading from the ferry door to an elevated walkway. Both designs will include a sophisticated cabin and docking ramp section.

Source : Travel Daily News International 

mardi 29 septembre 2009

Freshfields advises on the signature of contracts for the development of the Tangier Med 2 Port in Morocco

International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised Tangier Mediterranean Special Agency (TMSA) on the contract for the design and construction of the basic infrastructure of the Tangier Med 2 port and the concession of its first container terminal.
The contracts, signed earlier this month, relate to the major extension of the Tangier Med 2 port complex in Morocco. The port, with a nominal capacity of five million containers, will reinforce and consolidate the position of the Tangier Med port on the Gibraltar Straits, a core slot on one of the world’s major container transport routes.
The Moroccan State and TMSA, the state-owned port authority and developer, have signed a contract for the development of the project. A 30 year concession for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the first container terminal of the port has been granted by TMSA to Marsa Maroc, the leading Moroccan port operator. The turnkey contract for the design and construction of the port’s infrastructure, with a contract price of approximately €825 million, has been signed between TMSA and a consortium formed by Besix, Bouygues Travaux Publics, Bymaro, Saipem and Somagec.
During the first phase of the project, all the basic infrastructure of the port and only one of the two containers terminals of the port, with a quay-length of 1,200 metres and a capacity of 2.2 million containers, will be designed and built. The second terminal of the port, with a quay-length of 1,600 metres and a capacity of 3 million containers, will be developed on the basis of future market demand.
In order to assist with the development of the project, the Moroccan State will contribute 2 billion Moroccan Dirhams (approximately €180 million) to a project company, TM2 SA incorporated by TMSA for the purposes of the project, an amount which may be repaid once the concession of the second terminal of the port is awarded and relevant revenues are secured. TMSA will also make a contribution of 2 billion Moroccan Dirhams to the project company.
Freshfields advised TMSA on all aspects of the project. The Freshfields team was led by finance partner Amir Jahanguiri, and included partner Thierry Laloum, counsel Vincent Brenot, and associates Driss Bererhi, Michaël Armandou and Mathieu Werner (all finance).

vendredi 25 septembre 2009

Britain, France and Morocco gaining influence in Strait, says report

Britain, France and Morocco are gaining greater influence of the area of the Strait of Gibraltar, at Spain's expense, and this is happening with the backing of the United States, it is claimed in Spain.
The Spanish Government has decided to restructure Spain's artillery operations in the Strait area, with the removal of fixed artillery positions and their replacement by mobile units. The move appears to be to cut down military expenditure, reducing military personnel as the mobile units will require fewer personnel to operate. Barracks at Tarifa will be closed down.
It is said all this is causing disquiet in the Spanish military, which is being augmented by reports that suggest that Britain is to instal modern missiles at Gibraltar, says the Madrid daily ABC.
The plan has the support of NATO which has always considered Gibraltar as a key point for its Mediterranean defence strategy.
The report asks questions about the diminishing Spanish influence in the Strait, such as if it is linked to the difficult relations Spanish prime minister Zapatero had with President Bush.
Sources consulted by the paper indicate that something is brewing, pointing at the Americans having decided that the control of the southern coast of the Strait should be in the hands of the Moroccans and the northern control should be retained by Britain from Gibraltar.
The paper suggests that Morocco, with the support of France, may be playing a fundamental role, taking advantage of the state of relations of Spain with the USA.
The permanence of Robert Gates as secretary for defence in the Obama government could favour Rabat's interest in positioning itself 'as the friendly power in the Strait.'
There are three vital points: Tangier, Tanger-Med port and the Ksar-Kebir naval base - all opposite Gibraltar, plus the Alhucemas base which is being modernised and the port of Nador to displace Melilla.
There are also suggestions that the American African command could be installed in Morocco rather than in Rota.
French president Sarkozy is seen as playing a fundamental part in extending the influence of Morocco over territory that was once Spanish Morocco, military sources said.
In exchange for French support, the Moroccans could view the French in a favourable position to gain contracts, and the selling to Rabat of helicopters and frigates.

vendredi 18 septembre 2009

Morocco plans second transhipment hub

Despite doubts hanging over the future of the Tanger Med II development in Morocco, the government is to go ahead with a second container transhipment port close to the city of Nador. The project, which is known as Nador West Med, aims to attract both dry bulk traffic and transhipment containers. The scheme will go hand in hand with a free zone development covering 850 hectares.

Source: Port Strategy

lundi 7 septembre 2009

Bouygues Construction builds second harbour facility in Morocco

Bouygues Travaux Publics and Bymaro, two subsidiaries of Bouygues Construction, have just signed a contract with the Tangier Mediterranean Special Agency (TMSA) for the design and construction of a second deep-water port complex in Tangier. The 825 million euro operation (of which 335 million euros for Bouygues Construction) will be carried out by a consortium with Saipem, Besix, and Somagec.

The works are expected to start in the first half of 2010 and will run for close to four and half years (51 months) with up to 1,500 people working on site at peak times.
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Tangier Med 2 will complement the Tangier Med 1 complex — also built by Bouygues Travaux Publics, Bymaro, and Saipem — consisting of a container port (completed in 2006) and a ferry terminal (to be handed over in 2010).

Source : http://home.nestor.minsk