Morocco intends to reopen the tender process for the construction of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at the “Nador West Med” port complex, following a temporary suspension announced on Monday. The Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development had initially been expected to announce the winning bidder for the project.
In a brief statement on Monday, the ministry explained that the suspension was due to “new parameters and assumptions related to this project,” noting that the receipt of bids and opening of envelopes would be postponed starting Monday, without specifying the project’s fate or a new date for reopening the tender process.
In this context, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing a senior official at the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, that Morocco intends to issue new tenders to develop the LNG terminal on the Mediterranean coast “in due course.”
This announcement confirms that the $1 billion energy project remains on the table and signals that Morocco intends to continue its efforts to strengthen its energy infrastructure and reduce reliance on more polluting fossil fuels, in line with previously announced plans.
It is noteworthy that in 2024, Morocco declared its intention to construct three LNG conversion terminals as part of a national strategy aimed at enhancing the country’s energy sector and increasing domestic capacity, reducing dependence on infrastructure in other countries, particularly Spain.
According to details revealed by the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, the three planned terminals would include:The first terminal near the Nador West Med port on the Mediterranean coast, and the second and third terminals on the Atlantic coast, in Mohammedia and Dakhla, respectively.
The plan envisages completing the Nador terminal and the Mohammedia terminal by 2027, while the third terminal near the Dakhla Atlantic port would follow after the operation of the first two facilities.
Through this strategy, Morocco aims to import LNG directly from exporting countries and transport it via cargo ships directly to domestic conversion terminals, rather than relying on Spanish terminals, which currently convert the gas and transport it to Morocco via the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline.
This approach is expected to significantly reduce gas transportation costs, shorten delivery times, and decrease Morocco’s dependence on foreign countries for a key energy source used to power multiple sectors.
It is also worth noting that since the suspension of the Algerian gas transit agreement through Morocco to Spain—which had allowed Morocco to receive 20% of the gas free of charge for transit—the country has been seeking new alternatives to reduce reliance on external suppliers.
By pursuing these domestic LNG terminals, Morocco aims to strengthen its energy sovereignty, improve efficiency, and secure a more stable supply of natural gas for industrial and residential use.
