Dredging of 27 Ports: Somagec in Charge

A major new contract for Somagec in the port sector. The construction and public works group led by Roger Sahyoun has just been awarded the maintenance dredging contract covering 27 ports across the Kingdom. The value of the services ranges between 64.8 million and 123 million dirhams (MAD).

The ports concerned are Saïdia, Ras Kebdana, Nador, Al Hoceïma, Cala Iris, Tangier, Ksar Sghir, M’diq, Marina Smir, Kabila, Jebha, Chmaâla, Assilah, Larache, Mehdia/Kénitra, Skhirate, Sable d’Or, Mohammedia, Casablanca, El Jadida, Jorf Lasfar, Safi, Essaouira, Souiri Lakdima, Imessouane, Agadir, and Sidi Ifni.

A major strategic challenge for the National Ports Agency (ANP), these operations aim to combat silting and sediment build-up in order to maintain the depths required for safe navigation.

Planned over a one-year period, the services include all subsea extraction operations, transport and disposal of materials, or, where applicable, their hydraulic pumping.

Dredging of six ports in the south of the Kingdom

This includes, in particular, cleaning the seabed by suction or any other suitable method, extracting loose materials to reach the depths set by the ANP, and tying in with the natural seabed via an appropriately sloped gradient.

The program also provides for disposing of dredged material at sea, at a minimum depth of 20 meters relative to chart datum and at least two nautical miles from the breakwater head, or in an area designated by the project owner, in order to prevent material from returning to the dredged zones and to protect the environment.

By way of reminder, last April Somagec had already won a similar contract covering the ports of Tan-Tan, Tarfaya, Laâyoune, Boujdour, and Dakhla (old and new ports), for amounts ranging from 53.7 million to 102 million dirhams (MAD).