Rabat – Morocco and Spain have signed two agreements in the fields of digitalization and engineering related to the Strait of Gibraltar crossing project.
The agreements were signed Thursday in Madrid during a visit by a Moroccan delegation led by Abdelkabir Zahoud, President of the National Company for Studies of the Strait of Gibraltar. Experts from both countries held technical meetings during the visit.
The Spanish side was chaired by José Luis Goberna Caride, CEO of the Spanish Company for Fixed Link Studies across the Strait of Gibraltar. Discussions focused on digitizing documents, a future data management system, and the engineering aspects of the project.
The Spanish Center for Studies and Public Works Trials and Morocco’s Public Laboratory for Trials and Studies signed an agreement, covering cooperation in road studies, soil and rock engineering, rail transport, public transport, water sectors, road safety, and the environment.
A second agreement was signed between the Higher Technical School of Civil Engineering in Madrid and Morocco’s Hassania School of Public Works to cooperate in areas of education, training, and scientific research.
The two schools are set to exchange professors and students, work on joint research topics, organize training sessions, and increase scientific and technical exchanges related to the fixed link project.
Read also: What Makes Bridging the Strait of Gibraltar Between Spain and Morocco So Challenging?
The visit and the agreements are part of a broader exchange program between the two national companies working on the project, according to a press release. The goal is to boost cooperation between the Moroccan and Spanish institutions and between different players involved in the project.
This collaboration follows up on the decisions made during the 43rd meeting of the Morocco-Spain Joint Committee on the Gibraltar Strait Fixed Link, which took place in April 2023.
During that meeting, both sides agreed on a shared vision that includes mobilizing scientific and technical networks in an integrated way. The aim is to build a strong and diverse system involving public bodies, engineering firms, universities, and research centers from both countries.
This project envisions the construction of a fixed link between the two countries, through a tunnel under the Strait of Gibraltar, which would connect Europe and Africa via a direct land-based route. The idea has been discussed for many years, and it would represent a significant engineering feat.