• ONCF targets 60% rail-incident reduction by 2030 via proactive safety overhaul
  
  
• Plan expands surveillance, AI tools, drones, and smart fiber intrusion detection
  
  
• Measures respond to rising traffic and network growth ahead of major events

Morocco’s rail operator ONCF plans to reduce incidents on its network by 60 percent by 2030, according to safety strategy director Wiame Ghrabi. He outlined the roadmap at the 20th World Congress on Rail Safety of the International Union of Railways (UIC), held this week in Rabat.

Ghrabi said the plan involves a major overhaul of monitoring and prevention systems, aiming to shift from a reactive to a proactive safety model. It calls for the rollout of a centralized, data-driven platform, better coordination across departments, and full integration of railway sites into the national surveillance system.

Under the roadmap, the number of cameras in stations will rise to 4,400, up from 2,029 today. Onboard video surveillance will also be expanded, with 168 trains equipped with 3,630 cameras.

ONCF also plans to strengthen its technology tools with networked drones to monitor sensitive zones, increased use of artificial intelligence for incident analysis, the creation of a national hyper-vision control system, and the deployment of a smart fiber-optic network able to detect unauthorized intrusions in real time.

The initiative comes as Morocco’s rail network faces rising passenger volumes and heightened risks linked to ongoing expansion projects, ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025 and the 2030 World Cup that the country is co-hosting. In addition to existing lines, Morocco is developing 600 kilometers of high-speed rail between Kenitra and Marrakech as part of its national rail plan through 2040.

According to Ghrabi, early measures under the roadmap have already helped reduce rail incidents by 7 percent in 2025.

Henoc Dossa