Rabat- The National Office of Railways (ONCF) has appointed a French-led consortium led by Egis Rail to oversee project management for the extension of the high-speed rail line from Kénitra to Marrakech. The consortium also includes French firm Systra and Moroccan company Novec.
Despite its Spanish competitor requesting a lower fee for their services, Egis Rail in collaboration with Systra and Novec, has won the contract for project management assistance for the high-speed rail infrastructure between Kénitra and Marrakech.
Spanish company Ineco had submitted a bid that would cost Morocco 1.309 billion dirhams, while Egis asked for 1.385 billion dirhams (USD 138.5 million), nearly 80 million dirhams (USD 8 Million) more.
The ONCF has entrusted the consortium led by Egis Rail with the execution of the major high-speed rail project and the oversight of the 450-kilometer Kénitra-Marrakech segment, designed to operate at speeds of up to 320 km/h. This role is distinct from the separate task of conducting an external review of preliminary studies, which has also been awarded to Egis Rail.
In November 2022, the ONCF issued a clarification after Egis announced via a press release that the high-speed rail line Kénitra-Marrakech had been awarded to a French company, leading to considerable public confusion. Some media outlets reported that "Morocco had awarded the high-speed rail line to a French firm."
The ONCF clarified that Moroccan engineering remained the primary entity for the studies under the international tender, which included a national preference clause.