Growth in the Moroccan economy is coming from a somewhat unusual place -- the auto sector.
BMI Research Group released a report this month showing the automotive market in Morocco is outpacing others in neighboring countries, with Morocco leading the region as the most vibrant production environment and the most attractive market.
Researchers contend that Morocco “surpasses the regional average on many fronts.”
That's not to say there is not opportunity for improvement -- however, BMI cites attractive labor costs and supportive governmental policy in playing a role in boosting the Moroccan automotive industry.
Dmitriy Shibarshin at West Coast Shipping believes new tools will continue to help drive auto markets to innovate. The company has produced a computerized calculator system that provides transparent export costs for a vehicle.
Explaining how it works, Shibarshin said users enter the ZIP code in the U.S., then choose a country import for delivery. Then they click the "calculate" button and get an instant rate on shipping.
“We aim to make shipping a car around the world as easy and reliable as FedEx ships parcels,” Shibarshin told Maghreb News Wire on Sept. 6. “All of the communication is done via our in-house logistics system, which notifies the customer when their car is picked up and delivered. There is no unnecessary paperwork to deal with.”
One major benefit of this new system, Shibarshin said, is convenience.
“Our calculator runs on any internet-connected browser, allowing anyone with a mobile phone to initiate the shipment of their car(s),” Shibarshin said. “They get real-time rates and status of container consolidation -- without having to call and negotiate rates likes in the old days.”
Shibarshin sees rapid expansion for these types of assistive services.
“We see this type of tech becoming more widespread and making it easier and more affordable to move personal vehicles around the world,” Shibarshin said. “This is especially useful for people who either take their vehicles on vacation overseas, or are attending cross country rallies like the Rally Morocco Classic, because it speeds up the process, and because of consolidation availability, it lowers the barrier to entry.”