Morocco’s top port operator, Marsa Maroc, has confirmed a deal with Spain’s Boluda Corporación Marítima to acquire a 45 per cent shareholding in Boluda Maritime Terminals for €80 million. The acquisition was carried out through Marsa Maroc International Logistics and received board approval on 19 November 2025. It is now subject to regulatory approval.
This agreement is particularly notable because Boluda Maritime Terminals runs nine ports across mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. These include Las Palmas, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Seville, Vilagarcía, Cadiz through Concasa, Santander, and La Palma, giving the company a strong footprint in key maritime locations.
In 2024, the terminals processed more than one million TEUs, highlighting their role in supporting cargo movements between mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. From these ports, Boluda Lines operates 11 shipping routes that connect Spain with Northern Europe, Italy, the Balearic Islands, Cape Verde, and the West African coast.
The partnership aims to combine the strengths of both companies in terminal operations while reinforcing maritime links between Morocco and Spain, especially across the Strait of Gibraltar. Marsa Maroc said the investment fits into its wider international growth plans and adds to its existing network of 34 terminals across 20 ports.
Boluda will remain in charge of day-to-day operations, with Marsa Maroc bringing in its commercial and operational experience to support expansion in the region.
Given that almost 65 per cent of Morocco’s trade is with the European Union, the deal also has broader strategic importance. Spain, as Morocco’s main trading partner and a key entry point into the EU, is central to these trade flows.
The collaboration is expected to broaden shipping connections between Moroccan ports such as Nador West Med, Casablanca, Agadir, Laayoune, and Dakhla, and Spanish ports including Cadiz, Sagunto, and those in the Canary Islands.
By bringing BMT’s terminal network into its portfolio, Marsa Maroc plans to create new options for Moroccan exporters, with better logistics services and stronger access to European markets. The deal also supports the company’s longer-term plans to grow its presence in West and East Africa, following announced projects in Benin and Djibouti.
source: africaports.co.za
