Allocating one gate for thousands of trucks portends a “blockage” in the port of Casablanca

A possible “blockage” in the port of Casablanca mobilized, tomorrow, Tuesday, the workers of the Casablanca-Anfa provinces and the Ain Sebaa-Hay Mohammedi provinces, as coordination between the departments of the Ministry of the Interior, Customs, the National Ports Agency and road transport professionals moved to maximum speed until late hours of the night. Yesterday, Sunday, in order to find a solution to the problems of expected congestion in the sixth gate of the port, which was designated by a global decision as the sole port of entry and exit for trucks involved in import and export operations.

The labor decision signed by Aziz Dades, acting governor of the Casablanca-Anfa provinces, prevented the entry and exit of trucks involved in import and export operations from sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; While it was officially approved that work would continue within the port of Casablanca for 24 hours, seven days a week, in a new step that joined the port of the economic capital to its counterpart, “Tangier Med Port,” which recently adopted the same system.

Mustafa Al-Nakimat, Vice President of the General Confederation of Enterprises and Professions in charge of transportation, revealed in a statement to Hespress that professionals have presented a set of proposals to local authorities, in order to avoid any congestion or “blockage” at the Casablanca port level.

The Vice President of the General Union of Enterprises and Professions in charge of transport explained that, in a meeting with Mohamed Amhidia, the governor of the Casablanca-Settat region, it was confirmed that 3,400 trucks will operate daily at the port. Which threatens traffic congestion when only one door is open.

Al-Nakimat stressed that the professionals’ proposal is to allocate the sixth door for the exit of trucks loaded with containers, which number up to 1,200 trucks, meaning 2,400 trucks using the full-time system, so that another thousand trucks with different transport modes will be directed to doors 4 and 5, which are linked by one bridge, so that a complete redirection will take place. The path of trucks turns left towards the coastal road, that is, towards factories, warehouses and unloading areas, which reduces the pressure of traffic and movement in the city.

Bodies representing road transport professionals sent a letter to the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises “Al-Batrouna” regarding intervention with the local authorities in order to reconsider the recently issued global decision to allocate a single gate for the entry and exit of trucks and close the other gates, due to the negative repercussions on the operational expenses of the professionals, as well as conditions, times and costs. Delivery to logistics platforms; While they notified the Union that those affected were forced to increase the price of transportation, after the lengthening of the journey leading to the loading sites, in order to cover the cost of gasoline, tires, maintenance, and usual daily expenses.

Said Mesbahi, rapporteur of the General Union of Transport Professionals, confirmed in a statement to Hespress that it is impossible to ensure a single door in the port of Casablanca for the smooth flow of trucks for 24 hours, considering the decision taken by the local authorities to be random and not consistent with the constraints on the ground, as expectations indicate that Economic activities in the city will decline by minus 30 percent during the coming period.

Mesbahi added that, in the face of this situation, professionals are studying reversing the increase in operational costs on transportation tariffs that are not specified under a special law, in order to preserve the financial balance of the sector’s enterprises and fortify job positions in them.