Summary:

On 17 June 2025, a new bilateral Container Security Initiative (CSI) arrangement was signed between Morocco and the US, aiming to facilitate the growing volume of cargo transiting between the two countries and enhance maritime security measures. 

The agreement was finalized in Rabat between Abdelatif El Amrani, Director General of Morocco’s Administration of Customs and Indirect Taxes, and Donald Conroy, Executive Director of International Affairs Operations at the US Customs and Border Protection agency which falls under the US Department of Homeland Security. 

According to the US Customs and Border Protection, this new agreement builds on the 2013 bilateral accord on Mutual Administrative Assistance and extends the scope of the CSI, which already covers major global ports such as Algeciras in Spain, Marseille in France, and Gioia Tauro in Italy. 

Both El Amrani and Conroy underscored the importance of expanding the CSI to strengthen a partnership founded on trust, innovation, and a shared commitment to safeguarding global trade. They reaffirmed their dedication to ensuring that effective security measures are balanced with the facilitation of legitimate commerce, thereby further establishing Morocco’s key ports, such as Casablanca and the Tanger Med port, as secure and globally competitive maritime hubs. 

Outlook: 

With the inclusion of Morocco’s leading ports, particularly Tanger Med, the CSI initiative is expected to streamline customs procedures, reduce costs, and boost investor and trade confidence across the region, while also granting the US enhanced oversight and strategic influence over key cargo flows in the Mediterranean.  

This agreement will strengthen Morocco’s important role as a key regional hub, using its modern ports and strategic location in the Mediterranean to manage major cargo shipments. However, beyond its economic benefits, the agreement could also be seen as a vital instrument to deepen Morocco–US bilateral ties, reflecting a wider need to reinforce alliances amid escalating global and regional security challenges. 

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