Contractors have now been selected for the eight main civil works packages on the Marrakesh to Kenitra high-speed rail line. The construction contracts total nearly $2bn.

Each package covers the earthworks, structures, communications systems and fencing of different sections of the 245-kilometre line, with each lot covering between 36km and 64km.

The contractors selected for each package are as follows:

• Package 1: China Railway Number 4 Engineering Group (CREC 4) – MD3.4bn ($348.9m)
• Package 2: Shandong Hi-Speed Group Company (China) – MD4.05bn
• Package 3: Societe Les Grands Travaux Routier (GTR – the local subsidiary of France’s Colas) – MD2.15bn. The low bidder at bid opening was China Overseas Engineering Group with an offer of MD2.048bn, but the Moroccan contractor was selected after national preference criteria were applied.
• Package 4: Travaux Generaux de Construction de Casablanca (TGCC - local) – MD2.8bn
• Package 5: China Railway 20th Bureau Group (CRCC 20) - MD1.8bn
• Package 6: Jet Contractors (local) – MD2.1bn
• Package 7: Groupe Mojazine (local) – MD1.98bn. The low bidder was China Gezhouba Group at MD1.88bn, but the local contractor was selected after national preference criteria were applied.
• Package 10: China Overseas Engineering Group – MD1.35bn

The link will extend the Al-Boraq railway, a high-speed rail line between Tangier, Rabat and Casablanca. The line started operating in 2018 and was Africa’s first high-speed railway system.

In August, MEED reported that the client, Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF) had appointed a team to provide project management services for a high-speed rail link. The contract was awarded to a team comprising French engineering firms Egis and Systra, in association with Moroccan firm Novec.

In November, ONCF also announced it awarded an $81m contract to German firm Vossloh to deliver components for the high-speed project.