Tangier Med II

Ever-increasing trade traffic prompted Mohammed VI, the King of Morocco, to choose to extend the Tangiers Mediterranean Harbour (Tangers MED II). The revamped port, which is the largest port in Africa, will make Tangers MED II one of the most cutting-edge cargo and transhipment hubs in the world. After completion, the port will be equipped to handle 8 million EVP containers, 7 million passengers, 2 million vehicles and 10 million metric tonnes of oil products annually. Following elaborate negotiations, the two-phase project was awarded to a consortium that included BESIX Somagec.

Environmental preservation was critical to this project, as the Tangiers area is home to a variety of flora and fauna that coexist with human inhabitants. Committed to following European Corporate Social Responsibility criteria, BESIX had to rigorously manage all land and marine works to limit potential impact on the environment, including air and water quality. A number of additional risk management criteria had to be met during the construction process, such as extensive safety training, diversity benchmarks and the signing of a strict code of conduct.

After dredging the basin and port access channel, new berthing structures and a 1,230-metre quay wall were designed by BESIX and constructed out of vibro-compacted sand and concrete blocks that were fabricated on-site. Throughout the project, BESIX and its partners implemented strict waste and operations management policies. Environmental impact of works was carefully evaluated, and construction dust controlled. Local personnel were employed whenever possible, and a waste treatment plant built for the BESIX team of over 2,500 people was given to the community upon works completion.