Africa and Europe eye two major undersea tunnel links

A road tunnel worth €800 million and a rail tunnel worth up to €20 billion could one day connect Africa to Europe. Both projects are under discussion as alternatives to increasingly vulnerable global shipping routes.

Two major undersea tunnel projects linking Africa and Europe are under discussion, as part of broader efforts to build more resilient trade routes in an increasingly unpredictable global logistics environment.

The first project is a road tunnel between Morocco and Portugal, estimated to cost around €800 million. The tunnel would connect Morocco’s road network north of Tangier to Portugal’s Algarve region and the A22 motorway. It is described as a modular project, allowing phased construction with a dual-bore system and advanced safety solutions.

The second project is a rail tunnel between Morocco and Spain, with a price tag of up to €20 billion. The 42-kilometre link, of which around 27 kilometres would run underwater, would connect Punta Paloma in Spain to Cap Malabata near Tangier, cutting travel time between the two continents to just 30 minutes.

The projects reflect a broader strategic shift as African and European countries seek alternative transport corridors to increasingly vulnerable maritime routes.

Key details of the Morocco-Portugal connection remain unverified, however. Moroccan media say they have been unable to confirm the information, and the Portuguese government has not responded to questions about the project.

• More reading: World’s longest tunnel takes historic step forward