Gibraltar underwater rail tunnel plan resurfaces amid concerns over trade routes

An ambitious African–European infrastructure project beneath the Strait of Gibraltar is gaining renewed momentum, as Morocco and Spain advance plans for a subsea rail tunnel that could reshape trade flows between the two continents and offer a strategic alternative to global chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz.

The project has taken on greater urgency amid warnings that any prolonged disruption in Hormuz could severely constrain global oil supply and send prices sharply higher, with some projections suggesting crude could reach $200 per barrel. As a result, attention is increasingly shifting toward the Strait of Gibraltar as a critical route capable of supporting expanded trade and logistics flows, according to an article by Business Insider.

The Strait of Gibraltar remains the only natural link between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and is one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors, with around 300 vessels passing through it each day. Before the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, it served as the sole oceanic gateway to the Mediterranean.

The proposed tunnel would consist of two rail tubes designed to carry both passengers and freight, with an estimated journey time of about 30 minutes.

Cost estimates for the project vary, ranging from €15 billion to €20 billion, with Spain’s share alone expected to exceed €8.5 billion.

The idea of a subsea rail link between northern Morocco and southern Spain dates back to a 1979 agreement signed in Fez, though progress has been uneven over the decades.

Spanish state-owned consultancy Ineco is currently preparing a detailed blueprint, with approval potentially coming as early as 2027.

The project, overseen by SECEGSA and SNED, is expected to stretch approximately 42 kilometres, including around 27 kilometres underwater, linking Punta Paloma in Cadiz to Cape Malabata near Tangier.

If realized, the tunnel could position North Africa as a major logistics hub, directly connecting African production centres to European markets while reducing dependence on vulnerable maritime routes.

The initiative also aligns with broader efforts to deepen trade integration under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Despite its potential, the project faces major engineering challenges. A Spanish government-commissioned study by German firm Herrenknecht found the tunnel technically feasible using current technology, but earlier plans for a bridge were abandoned in 1996 due to extreme conditions in the strait, where depths reach up to 900 metres and maritime traffic is dense.

Current plans focus on a deep rail tunnel routed through the Camarinal Sill, at depths of around 475 metres below sea level.

Engineers will need to navigate unstable geological formations—including layers of rock and clay—as well as seismic risks associated with the Azores–Gibraltar fault line.

“These conditions require a structure that can withstand both high pressure and seismic movement over decades,” a project engineer familiar with the studies said.

If completed, the tunnel would enable passenger and freight travel between Africa and Europe in just 30 minutes, significantly reducing transit times and strengthening Africa’s role in global supply chains.

By Nazrin Sadigova