A new pillar of Morocco’s technological sovereignty and expertise in the maritime and port sector has emerged with the creation of the Moroccan Association of Port and Maritime Engineering (AMIPM).
Indeed, in a context of strategic transformation of port engineering in Morocco, the establishment of this Association marks an institutional turning point.
To embody this ambition, Ms. Sanae El Amrani, Director of Ports and the Maritime Public Domain (DPDPM) at the Ministry of Equipment and Water, was elected as its president.
The AMIPM aims to bring together Moroccan public and private actors in the sector to build a true port ecosystem based on national expertise. Its goals are threefold: to promote innovation in port and maritime fields, to unite sector stakeholders — engineers, companies, institutions — and to support the ecological transition of the Kingdom’s maritime infrastructure.
This strategic ambition responds to a need to strengthen the engineering and innovation of major port works, long dominated by foreign firms.
Until recently, major Moroccan port projects were entrusted to international giants such as Bouygues or Besix Group. But a significant shift is underway: Moroccan companies like SOMAGEC and SGTM have established themselves on key port projects such as Nador West Med and the future port of Dakhla Atlantique. This rise of national actors is the first milestone of a broader ambition: to create an integrated industrial fabric capable of designing, building, and maintaining port infrastructure in a sovereign and sustainable manner.
In this spirit, the Ministry of Equipment and Water has launched a Technological Center of Excellence dedicated to infrastructure engineering. This unprecedented initiative brings together, in an integrated approach, three strategic institutions under the ministry’s supervision: the Hassania School of Public Works (EHTP), the Technical Studies Center (CID), and the Public Laboratory for Testing and Studies (LPEE). This center embodies a comprehensive vision where education, research, and technical expertise mutually reinforce each other, with a strong grounding in national priorities and alignment with international standards.
The declared ambition is clear: to ensure continuous technological monitoring of global innovations, to develop applied research directly linked to the country’s port challenges, and to accelerate the upskilling of Moroccan engineers. The Technological Center will also rely on targeted partnerships with international research and development centers to broaden its expertise spectrum and guarantee continuous technological upgrading.
This dynamic aligns with the Ministry’s 2040 vision, which places technological sovereignty at the heart of the infrastructure and water ecosystem. It aims to structure a robust, resilient, and competitive national sector, capable of leading the country’s major projects and making Morocco a regional reference in port engineering. The Moroccan Association of Port and Maritime Engineering, under the leadership of Sanae El Amrani, will play a central role in this strategy as a catalyst for initiatives, exchanges, and capacity building.
