The deadline for the underwater tunnel project linking Morocco and Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar has been postponed to 2040, after initially being slated for completion before the start of the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal. This was revealed in a recent report by the Spanish newspaper “Cronica Balear,” which confirmed that the project is facing complex technical and engineering challenges that necessitated a reassessment of the timeline.
The long-awaited project aims to connect Tangier with the southern Spanish city of Tarifa through a railway tunnel ranging from 42 to 60 kilometers in length, approximately 28 kilometers of which will be beneath the sea. The expected cost of the project is €15 billion, funded jointly by Morocco and Spain, with additional financial support from the European Union. In 2024, €2.7 million was allocated for preliminary studies supervised by the Spanish Association for Fixed Communications Studies across the Strait and its Moroccan counterpart.
Current work focuses on two main studies: the first is a geotechnical assessment of the “Camarinal” threshold at the bottom of the strait where the tunnel will be excavated, and the second is dedicated to monitoring seismic activity in the region. The German company Herrenknecht Ibérica, specialized in tunnel boring, is tasked with conducting these studies, which are expected to be completed by September 2025.
The challenges confronting the project are formidable, particularly due to the complex geological nature of the strait, which reaches a depth of 475 meters, alongside heightened seismic activity that imposes advanced techniques for excavation and construction. This situation raises legitimate concerns about the possibility of further delays in the future if the work becomes increasingly complicated.
Upon completion, the tunnel is anticipated to considerably transform connectivity between Europe and Africa, reducing travel time between Madrid and Casablanca to just five and a half hours, down from the current 12 hours. It aims to transport over 12 million passengers and 13 million tons of goods annually. Morocco is betting on this infrastructure to enhance its position as a strategic link between the two continents in trade, logistics, and tourism, especially with the European Union’s intent to diversify global supply chains.
Despite the stated ambitions, the question remains: Will Morocco and Spain succeed in overcoming the engineering and financial obstacles to realize this strategic project within the newly established timeline, or will the dream be postponed for additional years?
