International coverage on a possible Morocco-Portugal Undersea Highway that will link Portugal and Morocco is making headlines.
OkDiario mentioned this week that the ambitious highway project, with a budget exceeding €800 million, has entered a concrete planning phase.
Additionally, land-based logistics infrastructure and maritime connections support the project which would link Morocco with high-capacity roads north of Tangier. In Portugal, the project will integrate with the Algarve network and the A2 motorway.
OkDiario quoted engineers involved in the project as stating that the infrastructure could change the “way we understand territory.”
The sources involved in the early phases of the project described the project as “modular.” This reassured that its phases will not disrupt regional traffic.
“The main design envisions a double-bore tunnel, with separate lanes for each direction and a technical emergency corridor,” OkDiario reported.
Factors Affecting the Overall Project Cost
The total cost for the project will depend on different factors, including seismic risk and geology.
Also, the report outlined the phases of the project. These include environmental studies, construction of access points, tunnel execution, systems installations, and testing.
Furthermore, the project comes as Morocco and Spain are also studying a tunnel across the Strait of Gibraltar.
OkDiario recalled that Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente visited Morocco recently to discuss details of the project. This showed Spanish companies’ interest in participating in the development of the infrastructure.
Significance of the Strait of Gibraltar Tunnel and the Undersea Highway
Both projects aim to connect Africa to Europe. They represent an ambition marked by preparatory campaigns for the prestigious 2030 World Cup that Morocco, Spain, and Portugal are co-hosting.
Earlier this month, Spain and Morocco signed an MoU to conduct joint research on the seismicity and geodynamics of the Strait.
The planned tunnel would stretch approximately 65 kilometers in total. Approximately, 40 kilometers would run under Spanish territory. The northern entrance would be located near Vejer de la Frontera.
In mid-March, Spain approved a new transfer of €1.73 million to finance technical studies for the infrastructure.
Project Factsheet
Name: Morocco-Portugal Undersea Highway
Cost: Approximately €800 million
Location/key points: the project which would link Morocco with high-capacity roads north of Tangier. In Portugal, the project will integrate with the Algarve network and the A2 motorway.
