Tangier Hosts the 2nd Edition of “TOC Africa” (Terminal Operations Conference)

Organized by Tanger Med in partnership with TOC Worldwide, this event returns to Tangier after a successful inaugural edition in 2023, once again highlighting the pivotal role of Tanger Med—Africa and the Mediterranean’s leading container port—as a global maritime trade hub strategically located on the Strait of Gibraltar.

Held under the theme “Trade, Customs and Tensions… How to Move Forward?”, the 2025 edition gathers more than 400 participants from 66 countries, including 41 African nations, nearly 20 port authorities, and over 50 international speakers.

Speaking at the opening session, Mehdi Tazi Riffi, Director General of the Tanger Med Special Agency, underlined that this year’s edition comes at a time when the industry is facing multiple challenges, from global trade outlooks and the positioning of shipping companies and ports to the energy transition and decarbonization, particularly under the IMO’s carbon-neutrality measures and the EU Emissions Trading System, as well as digital transformation.

“These themes reflect both the dynamism of our sector and the scale of its challenges, but also the opportunities ahead,” he said, stressing that Tanger Med—an achievement of the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI—fully embraces its role as a leading maritime, logistics, and industrial platform in the Mediterranean and across Africa, serving both global supply chains and regional development.

For his part, Idriss Aarabi, Director General of the Tanger Med Port Authority, noted that TOC conferences—recognized as major global events for advancing the maritime and logistics sector—are held annually in Europe (Rotterdam), Asia (Singapore), and the Americas (Panama). He emphasized that hosting the event in Tangier provides a unique opportunity to debate current issues in port management.

He also recalled the strategic location of Tanger Med on the Strait of Gibraltar, where over 100,000 vessels pass each year, underscoring its central importance for Africa. More than 40% of the port’s trade is conducted with African countries, making it a key player not only in the Mediterranean but also at the continental scale.

Jean-Marie Kofi, Secretary General of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (AGPAOC), pointed out that the conference is an opportunity to exchange views on critical challenges, particularly land corridor transit, as many countries in his region lack direct access to the sea. He stressed the need to streamline transit by improving infrastructure and revising procedures to avoid delays along these corridors.

The opening ceremony, attended by Paul Holloway, Director General of TOC Worldwide, highlighted the significance of this global gathering, designed to bring together key actors from Africa and the wider world to exchange expertise and debate issues central to ports and terminals.

The two-day program addresses major themes shaping Africa’s maritime and logistics community, including: “Ports as Catalysts for Trade and Cooperation in Africa,” “The Role of African Ports in Global Trade,” “African Supply Chains: Challenges and Opportunities,” “Investment in Intra-African Trade and Logistics Corridors,” “Sustainability and Climate Change,” “Digital Maturity of Africa’s Port Sector,” and “Operational Efficiency in Port Terminals.”

Alongside the conference, TOC Africa also features an exhibition showcasing the latest innovations in port equipment, machinery, and technology.

Editorial team/le7tv