The port authorities of Casablanca, Morocco, and La Spezia, Italy, are exploring innovative measures to facilitate the flow of goods. The new measures are in line with the Innovation Program of the National Ports Agency (ANP) and the European FENIX program. A joint press release from the two ports said the primary goal of the program is to improve and simplify import and export procedures between the ports of Morocco and the ports of the European Union. The statement emphasized that achieving the goal depends on ensuring electronic exchanges between customs, control authorities, and a group of concerned actors and competent authorities. Such means seek to respond to the requirements of international standards through the Moroccan Single Window to simplify the procedures of foreign trade (Portnet), the mutual recognition of control procedures, and the harness of new technology, such as the Internet of Things (IOT), according to the same source. “The first phase of the pilot project on fast and safe international trade navigation has started in recent days,” the statement said, adding that this initial stage concerns the exchange of logical data between port operators in Italy and Morocco.
The second phase covers the exchange of documents related to customs control of goods coming from La Spezia, the joint press release said. “The first phase of this experiment is also in the process of launching at the port of Casablanca in consultation with the rest of the partners,” ANP and the Italian port emphasized. Both ports seek to implement the project according to a Memorandum of Understanding that the National Ports Agency, PortNet, and System Authority in the East Ligurian Sea signed to boost cooperation. The initiative to boost port cooperation between Italy and Morocco adds to the strong diplomatic and economic ties the two countries enjoy. Data from Trading Economics reported that Moroccan exports to Italy amounted to $1.37 billion in 2019. The period of January-August this year marked remarkable trade cooperation between the two countries, placing Italy fifth among the North African country’s trading partners. Italy provides 5.3% of Morocco’s imports. It also receives 4.2% of Moroccan exports.