Abdel Samad Kyoh, the Minister of Transport and Logistics, revealed that the ministry is continuing to implement a series of measures to address the issue of overweight trucks. This includes regularizing the status of vehicles in the same category weighing between 3.5 and 19 tons when loaded.
The minister clarified that this operation commenced in July 2023 through a dedicated online portal. This platform allows professionals to check the eligibility of their vehicles to benefit from the measures, understand the required modifications for each type of vehicle, and the steps needed to regularize their status.
Kyoh confirmed, in response to a written question from parliamentary advisor Lubna Alawi, that these procedures will help reduce practices that violate competition rules in the sector, particularly violations related to overloading, in addition to preserving road infrastructure and improving road safety indicators.
The minister noted that addressing this issue is a priority within the joint work program between the ministry and professionals in the road freight transport sector, as part of ongoing sectoral dialogue with professional representations. He also mentioned that the ministry is working on adjustments to define responsibilities and revise violations and penalties related to overloading, in accordance with the provisions of the Highway Code and the ministry’s commitments to professionals.
Kyoh stated that monitoring operations will target all professional road transport activities to verify and penalize any legal violations, including those related to overloading. Conversely, he indicated that the issue of respecting load limits is not a concern in international freight transport, which is governed by international agreements such as the Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR), which outlines the responsibilities of parties in the transport process.
The minister added that the ministry is also focused on developing infrastructure to support professional drivers heading to sub-Saharan Africa. He pointed out that a partnership agreement was signed last December to prepare the first phase of the road center in Karkarat, located in the municipality of Bir Kndouz (Ouarzazate region), covering an area of two hectares. This aims to enhance logistical infrastructure and boost the region’s competitiveness as a major trade corridor between Morocco and the African continent.
