The Archives of Morocco recently entered into a significant agreement with Abdelfattah Bouzoubaa, who generously donated his private collection of maritime archives. This partnership was formalized by Jamaâ Baida, the Director of Archives of Morocco. Bouzoubaa’s donation, initially compiled for the creation of the Moroccan Merchant Navy virtual museum, aims to preserve crucial historical resources, particularly private archives of public interest, according to a statement from the institution.
Bouzoubaa’s collection features a diverse array of documents, including brochures from Moroccan shipowners, correspondence, press articles, photos, and detailed descriptions of Moroccan ships. These materials provide a comprehensive glimpse into the Moroccan merchant navy during the latter half of the 20th century. The documents are now accessible online at museemaritime.ma, ensuring broad and easy access to this significant part of national heritage.
The concept of the Moroccan merchant navy was conceived in the early years following the country’s independence in 1956. By the late 1980s, the fleet had peaked with approximately 70 ships of various types, owned by around twenty public and private shipowners. The collection included container ships, refrigerated vessels, general cargo ships, chemical tankers, oil tankers, bulk carriers, and car ferries. Notably, the chemical tankers and refrigerated vessels held substantial international market shares, while the car ferries managed over half of the passenger traffic between Morocco and Southern Europe.
