Heavy congestion at Morocco’s Port of Casablanca is disrupting freight operations and increasing costs for transport companies, with industry representatives blaming delays in truck processing linked to a newly introduced scanning system.
The National Association of Transport and Logistics Operators said long queues have formed around the port’s scanner and loading areas, forcing drivers to wait for hours before collecting or delivering cargo and slowing commercial activity at the country’s largest port.
Association president Abdellah Hammouchi said truck drivers are now spending more than eight hours waiting to load goods, adding that a recently introduced digital system had significantly worsened existing delays. He said the association had met with port management in recent days but that no improvements had yet been implemented.
The group warned that prolonged waiting times are increasing fuel consumption, labour costs and operational expenses while delaying contractual deliveries and disrupting supply chains.
In response, the association said it would introduce a temporary surcharge of 500 dirhams ($55) per shipment handled under the current conditions until congestion eases and processing times improve.
The association called on the authorities to intervene urgently by expanding scanner capacity and reinforcing technical and human resources to restore the flow of goods through the port.
Port authorities had not publicly responded to the association’s claims at the time of publication.
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