EniCo Awarded Financial Feasibility Studies Contract for Morocco-Spain Underwater Tunnel, Vodafone Awarded Communication Services Contract

The Transport Ministry of Spain has tasked public company “EniCo” with conducting a financial feasibility study for the Morocco-Spain Underwater Tunnel project.

The researchers will examine passenger and freight flows. Also, they will identify potential station locations in Algeciras or Tarifa and private sector financing possibilities similar to the English Channel tunnel.

Morocco-Spain Underwater Tunnel Project Factsheet

Name: Strait of Gibraltar Fixed Link

Tunnel design:

• The current plan prioritizes a single rail tunnel for both passenger and freight trains.
• Initial proposals had considered two tunnels, one for trains and another for vehicles, but this has been revised.
• The project could eventually involve a second tunnel to increase capacity in the future.

Cost: over €15 billion

Financiers: funding is expected to come from co-financing agreements between Spain, Morocco, and the European Union

Length: Approximately 38.5 km (24 miles) in total.

Underwater section: Roughly 28 km beneath the sea.

Depth: The tunnel would reach a maximum depth of around 300 meters below sea level.

Connection points: The tunnel would link Punta Paloma in Spain with Punta Malabata near Tangier, Morocco.

Financiers of the Financial Feasibility Study

The European “Next Generation” will finance this 350,000-euro study.

On the technical side, Spain has hired a German company specializing in tunnel construction to study geological challenges in the “Amp de Camarinal” area. This area is termed as one of the project’s most complex points.

These studies on the project aim to provide a comprehensive overview before next summer.

Commencement of the Construction Works

According to, the current estimates, the tunnel’s actual construction works may not begin until 2040.

Size of the Tunnel

This tunnel project ranks among the most ambitious between Europe and Africa, with a total length of approximately 40 kilometers. Twenty-eight kilometers would run underwater at depths reaching 300 meters.

Both countries aim for this passage to become a strategic corridor for transport, trade, and energy, though no agreement to begin construction exists yet.

Vodafone Awarded Communication Services Contract for the Underwater Tunnel

Furthermore, Spain has awarded Vodafone UK a communication services contract for the team studying the proposed tunnel.

According to Spanish media sources, the government signed the contract in mid-August.

The contract suggests that Vodafone will provide voice and data communication services for about 15 experts working to revive this ambitious initiative which has been under study for more than 40 years.

Official data shows the contract costs about 24,000 euros annually and runs for two years.

Details of the Communication Services Contract

The contract includes a 1-gigabit network, 24-hour surveillance system, and equipment for the team, including landlines, mobile phones, smart devices, and advanced technical services to ensure work continuity.