Launch of the MEDUS Maritime Connection Linking the Mediterranean and the U.S. East Coast at the End of March
Maritime Transport
A transatlantic shipping line will now connect the United States, Morocco, and Turkey. This new corridor aims to revolutionize maritime transport between the Mediterranean and the U.S. East Coast. Here are the details.
Code Name: MEDUS
A new maritime transport service called MEDUS will link the Mediterranean with the U.S. East Coast, with strategic stops in Mersin, Istanbul, Gebze, Aliaga, Casablanca, New York, and Norfolk. According to the initiative’s leaders, this service ensures smooth freight movement between key logistics hubs, offering reliable and efficient transportation throughout the region. With a structured rotation and optimized planning, it facilitates maritime trade between Europe, North Africa, and North America.
More specifically, SeaLead, a rapidly growing international shipping company, recently announced the launch of its new direct shipping service from the Mediterranean to the United States (MEDUS), connecting Morocco and Turkey with the U.S. East Coast. This strategic expansion strengthens SeaLead’s presence in the Mediterranean, enhances trade links along one of the world’s most important shipping corridors, and provides better export opportunities for businesses in these regions. The MEDUS service is designed to offer a reliable, efficient, and fast transport solution, with a dedicated bi-weekly sailing schedule and optimized transit times to the U.S. East Coast. The inaugural vessel is set to depart from Mersin on March 29, following a port rotation through Istanbul, Gebze, Aliaga, Casablanca, New York, and Norfolk before returning to Mersin.
Transatlantic Trade
MEDUS aims to link the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the United States with fast transit times to the U.S. East Coast and dedicated connections to and from Turkey, covering Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Spain, Greece, and Romania.
« Our new MEDUS service expands our reach by offering direct transatlantic trade coverage. This strategic initiative strengthens ties with the U.S., complements our existing transpacific service, and reinforces our position in the region. The new service provides faster transit times, improved reliability, and greater supply chain flexibility for our customers, » said Suleyman Avci, Global CEO of SeaLead.
« The MEDUS service enhances our coverage of the North American market, allowing us to better serve customers on both coasts in addition to our transpacific service between Asia and the U.S. West Coast (AWC). By connecting Mediterranean and U.S. East Coast markets and establishing dedicated links, we enable our customers to optimize their supply chains more effectively, » added Mark Lee, Regional Managing Director for North America, SeaLead.
With the launch of the MEDUS service, SeaLead’s management aims to continue enhancing global connectivity by offering efficient, customer-focused shipping solutions on major trade routes.
A Growing Hub
With this new shipping line, Morocco further solidifies its status as a key hub connecting Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Port traffic in 2024 has shown strong growth. According to statistics from the National Ports Agency (ANP), the activity of ports managed by the agency reached 25.8 million tons in the third quarter of 2024, reflecting a 12% increase compared to the same period in 2023—equivalent to an additional 2.8 million tons. This brings the total traffic for 2024 to 73.8 million tons, marking a 15.8% rise compared to the end of September 2023. In terms of cumulative revenue, figures stood at 2.03 billion dirhams as of September 2024, reflecting an 11.6% increase from the same period in 2023.
Notably, Moroccan ports surpassed the 200-million-ton threshold for the first time in 2023. Total port traffic increased from 195 million tons in 2022 to 209.4 million tons in 2023, a 7.4% rise. Domestic traffic reached 112.7 million tons, up 2.3%, while transshipment volume hit 96.7 million tons, marking a 14% increase compared to 2022. In 2023, transshipment activity dominated total port traffic, representing 46.2%, followed by imports (32.1%), exports (17.2%), coastal shipping (3.8%), and bunkering (0.8%).
In the transshipment sector, the Tangier Med port complex reaffirmed its position as a major logistics hub in the Mediterranean, with container transshipment volumes increasing by 13.7% (92.8 million tons) and hydrocarbon transshipment by 17.5% (3.7 million tons). Imports in 2023 reached 67.2 million tons, reflecting a 1.9% rise compared to 2022. This growth was primarily driven by variations in imported traffic: cereals (9.2 million tons, +3.9%), sulfur (6.5 million tons, +3.6%), hydrocarbons (11.9 million tons, -1.2%), and coal (10.5 million tons, -6.2%). Moroccan ports experienced significant maritime traffic growth in 2023, with over 27,900 commercial vessels handled—an increase of 16% compared to 2022. The newly announced maritime connections and upcoming projects will undoubtedly strengthen Morocco’s position in global maritime traffic.
Nador West Med and Dakhla Atlantique: Strategic Logistics Expansion
The upcoming operationalization of two major ports will further consolidate Morocco’s role in international maritime transport: Nador West Med and Dakhla Atlantique.
The container terminal at Nador West Med is equipped with 1,520 meters of quay, an 18-meter depth, and 70 hectares of storage yards. At full capacity, this terminal will handle 3.4 million TEUs. The first phase of this terminal is expected to be operational in early 2027. Notably, Marsa Maroc and Terminal Investment Limited (TIL)—a subsidiary of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s largest shipping line—have signed a partnership agreement for TIL to acquire a stake in the subsidiary operating the Nador West Med container terminal.
Meanwhile, the Dakhla Atlantique port will reposition the entire region along key maritime routes, featuring an industrial-logistics zone, a commercial exchange hub, and a dedicated area for the valorization of maritime fishing activities. This project involves the construction of a deep-water port on the Atlantic coast of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region, with three main components:
- A commercial port with a depth of -16 meters (zero hydrographic reference).
- A dedicated port for coastal and deep-sea fishing.
- A port dedicated to the shipbuilding industry.
Located 40 km north of Dakhla, this port will be backed by a 1,650-hectare industrial-logistics zone designed to provide high-quality industrial and logistics services.
Source: aujourdhui
