Moroccan bitumen importer Afrique Bitume has started operations at its new 8,000t capacity terminal at Nador, eastern Morocco.
The first bitumen arrived at the terminal on 18 April on board the 6,586dwt Iver Bitumen, which had previously discharged part of its cargo at an import terminal at Mohammedia.
The new terminal at Nador, like Afrique Bitume's others near Mohammedia and Agadir, is close to the port area. Bitumen cargoes are discharged from tankers onto trucks and then transported by road to the terminal.
Afrique Bitume began operating a new 8,000t capacity bitumen terminal at Agadir, southwest Morocco, last year. The expansion highlights the firm's efforts to compete with other importers like Sorexi and Colas Maroc, both of which have storage facilities along the Moroccan coast, including Mohammedia and Agadir. Sorexi also operates an import terminal at Nador.
Afrique Bitume already had a 15,000t capacity bitumen storage facility near Mohammedia, equipped with polymer-modified bitumen production and storage units.
The Moroccan road construction sector is growing rapidly as the country undertakes extensive infrastructure project work ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it will host jointly with Spain and Portugal.
Morocco relies on imports to meet all of it bitumen consumption. Some importers expect consumption to reach 600,000 t/yr in the next few years, up from around 400,000t last year.