Barcelona, 08 Jan. 2009 (MAP) -The Tanger-Med mega port offers an opportunity to boost trade relations between Spain and North Africa, the Spanish paper "El Periodico de Catalunya" underlined on Thursday.
Commenting on the launch, on Wednesday, of construction works of the second phase of Tanger-Med, including an industrial park, El Periodico de Catalunya underlines the ambitious aspect of the project that is designed to host 8 million containers and create 300.000 new jobs by 2030.
The new industrial park, aspires to be "among the top ten important ports in the world and the first in the Mediterranean: two goals on the agenda of Modern Morocco for 2014, the Spanish paper pinpointed.
Tanger-Med must not be considered as a threat. This project will guarantee major opportunities in the Mediterranean and in the Strait of Gibraltar, wrote the paper quoting the president of the Spanish trade chamber in Morocco, José Esteban.
"Ports are complementing each other and this project will yield in the future investment opportunities for Spanish enterprises, especially those operating in the car industry,” he said.
The paper cited also Moroccan Minster of Industry, trade and new technologies, Ahmed Réda Chami, who pointed out that Tanger-Med is to be considered as a second base for Spanish industries in Morocco, since the port will enable them to gain more competitiveness.
The Tanger-Med project, launched in July 2002, is expected to be fully operational by 2014, and to serve some 7 million passengers and 700.000 lorries.