New Morocco-UK-Europe Service to Speed Up Produce Exports

DP World is launching a bespoke shipping link that is expected to reduce transportation times for fruit and vegetable shipments from Morocco to the UK by up to two days as export volumes continue to rise.

Image: DP World

The Atlas sea service presents retailers and consumers in the UK and northern Europe with a viable alternative to trucking by road, and will deliver shipments of better quality produce at lower cost, and with a significantly reduced carbon footprint, according to a press release from DP World.

By matching speed with reliability, and utilising DP World’s ports and terminals, the shipping link will convert fresh produce from road to sea, thereby cutting carbon emissions by 70 per cent, as previously reported in Freshtalk Daily.

Connecting key hubs at Agadir and Casablanca in Morocco, with DP World-owned ports and terminals at London Gateway and Antwerp Gateway, the bespoke service will begin in November 2025, using two dedicated vessels.

The Atlas link will take improved quality produce into Antwerp for distribution in Europe.

Rashid Abdulla, MD and CEO, at DP World Europe, explained: “We are launching a bespoke solution from Morocco to the UK and the Continent. The key elements of this service – reliability, fast transit times and modern IT platform – will provide exporters and retailers with a viable alternative to the current transportation by truck and ensure improved quality produce at lower cost with a significantly reduced carbon emissions.”

Markus Rodatz, Chief Operating Officer, Freight Europe, at DP World, added: “We are committed to building smarter, more sustainable and more resilient supply chains. The new service gives growers and retailers the confidence that their produce will arrive fresher, faster and in peak condition, while cutting emissions by 70 per cent. By investing in this Morocco to UK and the Continent, we are making trade flow and helping our customers meet their sustainability goals.”

Faster Deliveries, With Lower Costs and Emissions

Morocco exports over 6.5 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables annually to Western Europe, with volumes growing at over 20 per cent year-on-year. Trade agreements and supportive policies are accelerating this momentum, making sea freight a timely and viable alternative to road.

By moving up to 150,000 tonnes of fresh produce from road to sea each year, the Atlas route is expected to provide a sustainable logistics solution that reduces emissions by up to 250kg CO₂/tonne-km – a 70 per cent reduction compared to traditional trucking.

Unlike road transport on the more than 3,000km journey, DP World said its new shipping service avoids congestion, vandalism, and delays at border crossings while offering a smoother passage for produce such as tomatoes and blueberries.

The sea route, which uses DP World-owned Unifeeder’s vessels and reefer containers, also offers a sustainable alternative to the congestion experienced on the water crossings between Tangier and Algeciras and Calais and Dover for UK-bound cargo.

To guarantee condition and freshness, DP World has invested in a fleet of 1,250 brand new, modern reefers.

DP World will formally launch the Atlas shipping service an event in Agadir, Morocco, on 18 September.