South Korea’s KORAIL to oversee Morocco’s new 160 km/h electric train fleet

South Korea’s national railway operator KORAIL has signed a contract worth more than $6.5 million to oversee project management and provide maintenance advisory services for Morocco’s electric multiple unit (EMU) train procurement program, according to Korean media.

The agreement was signed on June 18 in Rabat between KORAIL president Kim Taeseung and Moroccan National Railways (ONCF) director general Mohamed Rabie Khlie. The contract covers a 38-month period and relates to the acquisition of 440 train cars capable of speeds of up to 160 km/h, which are scheduled to enter service from 2029.

Under the deal, KORAIL will supervise key stages of the project, including design reviews, production quality control, pre-shipment inspections, trial runs and acceptance procedures. The company will also provide maintenance consulting, help establish maintenance systems and train ONCF staff, including through programs hosted in South Korea.

The contract follows the award earlier this year of around $1.6 billion train supply contract to a South Korean consortium comprising KORAIL, the Korea National Railway Authority and Hyundai Rotem.

«It is a meaningful achievement to transfer South Korea’s railway operating expertise to Morocco, the only country in Africa that operates high-speed rail», KORAIL president Kim Taeseung said, adding that the project could serve as a gateway to future railway opportunities in North Africa and the Middle East.