Morocco is set to receive its first shipment of 6,457 steel rails from China for the Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed railway project. The 36-meter rails departed from Bayuquan Port in Liaoning Province on November 15, completing the first batch delivered by China Railway Material Group Hong Kong Macau Co. Chinese media reported the shipment represents 13,000 tons of domestically manufactured high-speed rail equipment for a key Belt and Road Initiative project.

The delivery follows a major contract awarded earlier this year for Morocco’s second high-speed line. A consortium led by China Railway Material Group Hong Kong Macau Co. and Angang Steel Company Limited secured a US$51.6 million tender to supply 60 E1 rails, including manufacturing, transport to Casablanca port, and conditioning on ONCF flat wagons within 18 months.

The Kenitra–Marrakech line, spanning 430 kilometers and launched in April, will link Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech with trains reaching 350 km/h, with commercial service expected in November 2029.