ORGANIZATION OF THE 2ND EDITION OF TOC AFRICA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TANGER MED

On September 17 and 18, 2025, Tanger Med hosted the 2nd edition of TOC Africa, organized in partnership with TOC Worldwide around the theme: “Trade, tariffs, and tensions… How do we move forward?” A flagship event in the maritime and logistics sector, held annually in Rotterdam, Singapore, and Panama, TOC has confirmed, with its return to Tangier after 2023, the role of Tanger Med, Africa and the Mediterranean’s leading container port, as a hub for trade across the Strait of Gibraltar.

The opening session brought together Mehdi Tazi Riffi, CEO of Tanger Med Group, and Paul Holloway, Managing Director of TOC Worldwide. In his address, Mehdi Tazi Riffi pointed out that this edition of TOC Africa comes at a time when our industry is facing multiple challenges: the outlook for global trade, the positioning of shipowners and ports, as well as energy transition and decarbonization—notably with the IMO (International Maritime Organization) provisions for carbon neutrality and those already implemented through ETS.

The 2025 edition also highlighted the contribution of Tanger Med Group’s entities. Marsa Maroc took part in the discussions, with Mr. Taoufik Chahir, Director of the Container Business Unit, who spoke during the Tech TOC panel about understanding the efficiency of terminal operations.

Mr. Idriss Aarabi, Managing Director of Tanger Med Port Authority and Port Logistics Zone, took part in the session entitled “Examining African supply chains: challenges and opportunities.”

Tanger Med Engineering contributed to the discussions with a presentation by Mr. Nasser Tlassellal, Managing Director of TME, on “The role of multimodal transport infrastructure in the development of intra-African trade and logistics corridors” during the session “Investing in intra-African trade and logistics corridors.” Mr. Amine Malti also took part in technical discussions during the themed sessions.

Finally, Mr. Amine Benyessef, Director of Decarbonization at Tanger Med Group, presented Tanger Med’s path to carbon neutrality during the session “Sustainability and climate change: what will be the future of African ports?”

The program explored key topics emerging from the African maritime and logistics agenda: ports as catalysts for trade and cooperation, the organization of African ports in global flows, the performance and resilience of African supply chains, investment in intra-African trade and logistics corridors, sustainability and adaptation to climate change, digital maturity in the port sector, and terminal operations efficiency. At the same time, an exhibition showcased the latest innovations in port equipment, machinery, and technology.

This year’s event brought together more than 400 participants from 66 countries, including 41 African countries, with the presence of nearly 20 port authorities and more than 50 international speakers. Through debates, feedback sessions, and networking opportunities, TOC Africa 2025 provided a unique platform to accelerate cooperation and shed light on the transformation trajectories of the continent’s port and logistics ecosystems.