Hyundai Rotem secures $487 million Morocco train maintenance deal
Hyundai Rotem has secured a KRW 748.2 billion, equivalent to $487.3 million, contract to maintain and repair Morocco’s new fleet of double-decker electric trains. The agreement covers a 20-year maintenance period for 440 railcars delivered to Morocco’s national railway operator, ONCF.
The signing took place at ONCF headquarters in Rabat, where Hyundai Rotem chief executive Lee Yong-bae and ONCF Director General Mohamed Rabie Khlie formalized the deal. The contract marks the largest overseas rail maintenance agreement ever signed by the South Korean manufacturer.
The maintenance structure is based on a joint venture between Hyundai Rotem and ONCF. The company will supply spare parts, operate a dedicated support service, and provide technical assistance for heavy maintenance operations. These operations include inspection, testing, repair, and component replacement to ensure safety and performance across the fleet.
The deal follows a larger agreement signed in February 2025, when Hyundai Rotem won a KRW 2.2 trillion order to produce 440 double-decker electric multiple units. The trains will operate at speeds of up to 160 km/h and will connect Casablanca with major urban centers across Morocco.
The maintenance program extends Hyundai Rotem’s role beyond manufacturing into long-term operational support within Morocco’s rail system. The company expects the partnership to strengthen its presence in African railway markets and support Morocco’s transport expansion plans.
According to Hyundai Rotem, spare parts for the maintenance operations will be supplied by more than 200 Korean small and mid-sized companies linked to its industrial network. The company says the arrangement will support industrial cooperation between South Korea and Morocco.
On the same day, Korea Railroad Corporation, known as KORAIL, signed a separate KRW 9 billion contract worth about $6 million with ONCF. The 38-month agreement covers consultancy services, including design review, quality control, pre-shipment inspections, trial runs, and final acceptance of the trains.
Morocco continues to expand its rail infrastructure ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The country already operates Africa’s only high-speed rail line between Tangier and Casablanca.
