Morocco's ports traffic grows by 7.6 pct in 2001

Traffic in Moroccan ports in 2001 grew by 7.6 percent to reach 57.5 million tons, due mainly to a rise in phosphate exports and hydrocarbon imports.

The figures were disclosed by head of state-run ports authority ODEP, Mustapha Baroug, in the sideline of ODEP's board meeting held earlier this week.

Moroccan Port traffic is expected to rise by 7.0 in 2002, he said.

Morocco's main foreign trade transits through ports. The European Union is the country's main trade partner, soaking over two thirds of its total foreign trade.

Some 2.9 million passengers are expected to transit via Moroccan ports in 2002 against 2.8 million in 2001, Baroug added.

More than 1.0 million Moroccan expatriates, based mainly in Europe, return each year to spend the summer holidays in their homeland.

Baroug said ODEP's investment plan for the 2001-2005 period would be updated with an increase of 37.5 percent to reach 3.95 billion Moroccan dirhams (about US$359 million).

ODEP's investment in the nine months up to September 2001 reached a total 575 million dirhams, around half the 2001 investment budget, he said.