Inauguration in Morocco of the HSL between Tangiers and Kenitra

Following the commissioning of three high speed lines in France in 2017, there is now a fourth line signed SYSTRA in less than two years. This new 183km line crosses all Morocco’s economic and political centres. More than a new transport offer, this first HSL redraws the country’s transport map by creating a more effective link between Tangiers, Kenitra, Rabat and Casablanca.

With a commercial speed of 320km/h, the journey time of 4h45 between Casablanca and Tangiers is reduced to 2h10, and that between Tangiers and Rabat from 3h40 to 1h20. The ONCF, Morocco’s national railway operator and SYSTRA’s client, forecasts an annual ridership of six million passengers within three years, compared with three million on the old Tangiers – Casablanca line.

The inaugural train, named ‘Al Boraq’, of the new HSL welcomed aboard His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by a delegation of companies having participated in the project. SYSTRA was represented by CEO Pierre Verzat.

Pierre Verzat explained: “This inauguration has a special meaning for SYSTRA because it demonstrates our capacity to operate outside France and accompany a client from the preliminary phases to the trials and commissioning of an infrastructure as complex as a high speed line. This is a signal to all emerging countries wishing to equip themselves with this mode of transport. SYSTRA teams played a key role throughout the project and I warmly congratulate all those who have contributed to its success, as well as our partners CID and TEAM Maroc. I also praise the professionalism and competence of the ONCF teams who were able to take charge of a new type of project and lead it to success within a deadline and budget never seen before anywhere in world for a high speed line. For us they have been real partners, essential for the success of such a project.”

SYSTRA present at all project phases

Partners with the ONCF for high speed projects since 2005, when SYSTRA was involved in a study for a blue print of high speed lines in the Kingdom, we carried out preliminary studies on different sections before doing the preliminary designs from 2008 -2010 for the Tangiers-Kenitra line. During the subsequent phases, SYSTRA was responsible for several crucial assignments such as the project management of the civil engineering for the southern section between Larache and Kenitra (with EGIS, who carried out the same assignment for the northern section), the project management assistance for operations relating to the running of the railway and electromechanical equipment for the entire line (183km). We were also in charge of the particular assignments covering all the special infrastructure features.