Significant Development in Tunnel Project
Spain and Morocco have recently made a notable advancement in their plans to construct a submarine tunnel beneath the Strait of Gibraltar. This milestone was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Spain’s National Geographic Institute and Morocco’s National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST). The purpose of this agreement is to facilitate collaborative research focused on the seismic activity and geodynamics of the strait, which has been a subject of interest for nearly fifty years as both nations explore the feasibility of a fixed link connecting Europe and Africa.
During a meeting held on December 4, 2025, at La Moncloa, Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente and Moroccan counterpart Karim Zidane formalized this pivotal agreement. In a further commitment to this ambitious project, the Spanish government approved a budget allocation of €1.73 million in mid-March 2026 to fund essential technical studies pertaining to the infrastructure. This project is being developed under the auspices of SECEGSA, the Spanish Company for Studies on Fixed Communication across the Strait of Gibraltar, which has been active since the 1980s with the goal of bringing this tunnel to fruition.
Technical Feasibility and Future Prospects
The proposed tunnel is projected to extend approximately 65 kilometers, with about 40 kilometers located under Spanish territory. The northern entrance of the tunnel is planned to be situated near Vejer de la Frontera, while the distance between the terminal stations is estimated at 42 kilometers, comprising 38.5 kilometers of tunnel length. Within this, the underwater section will encompass 27.7 kilometers, reaching depths of up to 475 meters. The tunnel's design includes two independent single-track railway tubes, each featuring a circular cross-section of 7.90 meters in diameter, connected by a central service gallery designed for emergencies and maintenance operations.
SECEGSA has engaged Herrenknecht Ibérica, the Spanish subsidiary of a renowned German tunneling machinery manufacturer, to conduct a feasibility study aimed at determining the technical viability of boring through the Umbral de Camarinal, an underwater ridge that separates the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. The findings of this study have been encouraging, indicating that the project is technically feasible within current engineering capabilities, although it highlights significant logistical and economic challenges that may arise during execution.
The geological composition beneath the Camarinal area consists of Flysch Complex materials, characterized by layers of sandstone and clay, creating a complex subsurface that poses additional challenges for excavation. The estimated cost for the Spanish segment of the project alone exceeds €8.5 billion, and upon completion, this tunnel could facilitate travel between Spain and Morocco in approximately 30 minutes. The anticipated timeline for completion is projected between 2035 and 2040, contingent on the outcomes of the ongoing studies and preparations.
The memorandum establishes a framework for a comprehensive three-year research initiative focused on seismic activity, potential earthquakes, and tsunamis, as well as the geodynamic behavior of the strait, which is situated at the intersection of critical tectonic plates. This area is historically significant, as it is part of the same tectonic zone that resulted in the catastrophic earthquake of 1755.
Looking ahead, if the research yields positive results, there may be a proposal to commence the excavation of a reconnaissance gallery, with initial tenders expected to take place in 2027. The completion of this phase could take between six to nine years. A marine research campaign is also on the agenda, scheduled to occur before the end of the first half of 2026, aimed at gathering detailed geological data to inform the project's next steps.
Given the busy maritime traffic in the Strait, which sees over 100,000 vessels passing through each year, and the environmental considerations involved due to the area's rich biodiversity, including over 1,900 recorded marine species, strict environmental regulations and oversight will be crucial throughout the project's development.
As reported by moroccoworldnews.com.
