The National Ports Agency (ANP) has released the detailed 2021 annual report, detailing the challenges that the ports, under its aegis, have had to face throughout this year marked by the maritime transport crisis in global scale, as well as soaring prices of all imported products, followed by inflation that ravaged the whole world.
Among the main causes of this inflation is the shortage of containers all over the world. This is an issue that has largely contributed to the supply difficulties of several countries. Containers are generally manufactured by China, which accounts for almost 96% of world production.
During the first eight months of the current year, Chinese manufacturers produced nearly 500,000 TEUs, an increase of nearly 64% compared to 2021 and 35% compared to 2020. Production should stand at 900,000 EVP this year, according to data from Drewry, a leading independent provider of research and advisory services to the maritime industry, with an international network of offices in London, Delhi, Singapore and Shanghai.
The British consultant predicts that the share of 20-foot containers in the global fleet (26%) will remain stable over the next five years. This confirms the strong demand for containers from countries that suffered from their shortages during the two years of the health crisis.
And if Morocco launches into the manufacture of containers?
This branch of industry is lucrative. Morocco might start in this direction, aiming to cover the European market as well as the African one. Given its geographical proximity, Morocco is missing an opportunity that might generate unprecedented financial benefits. And promote the presence of Morocco in the international market.
If the Executive boasts of the exploit of automotive exports to more than 70 destinations, here is another branch that might leave Morocco even more in demand, for the manufacture of containers. This oligopolistic market is conquered by three Chinese companies, which build more than 96% of the dry containers and 100% of the reefer containers in the world, according to Drewry.
Morocco has a high-level steel and metal processing ecosystem to host this type of project. To make a container, you mainly need steel coils and some foundry parts. Morocco produces them.
Does Morocco have the necessary assets for the manufacture of containers?
Contacted by “L’Opinion”, Abdelhamid Souiri, president of the Federation of Metallurgical, Mechanical and Electromechanical Industries (FIMME), affirms that Morocco has all the necessary assets. “We have excellent manufacturing capabilities for steel coils which are the main input for manufacturing containers. We also have a foundry and metal processing ecosystem with significant capabilities and skilled and competent human resources,” he said.
The opportunity to invest in container manufacturing in Morocco has been constantly raised, due to the imbalance between supply and demand caused by the shortage of supply from China. According to our interlocutor, the project has even been included in the project bank of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which estimates the investment between 70 and 100 billion dirhams and which might generate a turnover of 150 to 250 billion dirhams, for an annual production capacity of 6 to 10,000 TEU.
