A bitumen supplier in Morocco has to get two things right, and the first is the grading system. Moroccan tenders work to EN 12591, not ASTM and certainly not the Indian VG system — an offer in the wrong nomenclature fails technical evaluation before the price is read. The second is that Morocco has genuine winter. The Atlas mountains get snow, and that changes the binder decision more than the Saharan heat does.
ZUMRUT INT Co. supplies penetration, oxidized, cutback and emulsion grades into Morocco, loading from Mersin through the Mediterranean and Strait of Gibraltar. Every shipment carries a batch certificate of analysis issued before loading, stated against the standard your contract names, with French documentation as standard.
Morocco uses EN 12591 — not ASTM, not VG
Settle this before anything else, because it determines whether your offer is technically compliant.
Morocco’s technical standards follow the European system, a legacy of the French administrative tradition reinforced by the EU association agreement and the volume of European contractors working in the market. Tenders name 35/50 and 50/70, not 40/50 and 60/70.
A warning worth stating plainly. Viscosity grades — VG-10, VG-30, VG-40 — belong to the Indian standard IS 73:2013 and are not used in Morocco or anywhere in North Africa. They appear in Moroccan-market material occasionally because a supplier has copied a template written for the Indian market. If you see VG grades recommended for Marrakech or Fès, the source does not know the market. If a tender document names one, query it — it has been copied in error and quoting against it will cause problems at evaluation.
| EN 12591 grade | Penetration range | Nearest ASTM | Where it fits in Morocco |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20/30 | 20–30 dmm | Harder than 40/50 | Specialist heavy-duty; rarely specified |
| 35/50 | 35–50 dmm | 40/50, approximately | Southern interior, pre-Saharan zones, heavy freight corridors |
| 50/70 | 50–70 dmm | 60/70, approximately | The volume grade for the Atlantic coast and most of the network |
| 70/100 | 70–100 dmm | 80/100, approximately | Atlas mountain roads, Rif, surface dressing |
| 160/220 | 160–220 dmm | Softer than 200/300 | High-altitude sections, some surface treatment work |
Approximately is doing real work in that table. The penetration ranges overlap but the specifications differ elsewhere: EN 12591 requires the Fraass breaking point and specifies retained penetration after RTFOT, neither of which appears on a standard ASTM D946 certificate. A batch can satisfy 60/70 and fail 50/70 on a test that was never run. If your tender names an EN grade, ask for a certificate reporting against EN rather than an ASTM certificate with an equivalence note attached. Our grade equivalence chart sets out where the systems diverge.
Three climates, and the mountains are the hard one
Morocco runs from Atlantic coast through the Middle and High Atlas to pre-Saharan desert. Most guides mention the heat. The mountains are what actually complicate the specification.
| Zone | Cities | Conditions | Grade | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic coast | Casablanca, Rabat, Agadir, El Jadida | Oceanic — moderated by the Atlantic, humid, mild | 50/70 | Temperature swing is narrow. Humidity makes adhesion matter more than stiffness |
| Mediterranean north | Tangier, Tétouan, Nador | Mediterranean — hot dry summers, wet winters | 50/70 | Standard conditions; winter rainfall drives the adhesion requirement |
| Interior plains | Marrakech, Fès, Meknès, Beni Mellal | Continental — hot summers above 40 °C, cool winters | 50/70, 35/50 on heavy routes | Summer rutting is the concern, but winters are cool enough that the hardest grade carries risk |
| Middle and High Atlas | Ifrane, Azrou, Midelt, Imilchil | Genuine winter — snow, freeze-thaw, sub-zero nights | 70/100 or 160/220 | Thermal cracking, not rutting, is the failure mode. A hard grade fails here |
| Rif mountains | Chefchaouen, Al Hoceima | High rainfall, cool, steep terrain | 70/100 | Moisture damage and thermal movement; ductility governs |
| Pre-Saharan south | Ouarzazate, Zagora, Errachidia, Laayoune | Arid, extreme summer heat, wide diurnal range | 35/50 or PMB | Rutting governs by day; the night-time drop argues for PMB on critical sections |
The Atlas is where specifications go wrong. Morocco’s latitude suggests a hot-country binder throughout. But Ifrane regularly records sub-zero temperatures and holds one of Africa’s lowest recorded readings, and the Atlas passes carry snow for months. On those sections a 35/50 binder has too little ductility to accommodate thermal contraction, and the pavement cracks — which then lets water in, which freezes, which destroys the base. Specifying 70/100 or softer for mountain work is not a compromise; it is the correct engineering answer. If your project is Atlas or Rif rather than coastal, say so at the enquiry stage.
Grade selection by application
| Application | Recommended grade | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal and general paving | 50/70 (ASTM 60/70) | The national volume grade. Suits the oceanic and Mediterranean strip |
| Atlas and Rif mountain roads | 70/100 (ASTM 80/100) or 160/220 | Snow, freeze-thaw and sub-zero nights. Ductility prevents thermal cracking |
| Pre-Saharan highways | 35/50 (ASTM 40/50) | Resists rutting where surface temperature exceeds 60 °C |
| Motorways and heavy freight | PMB | Sustained axle loading on the Casablanca–Tangier and Casablanca–Marrakech corridors |
| Airport pavement | PMB or 35/50 | Point loading and turning stress. Confirm against the project specification |
| Port and industrial yards | 35/50 or PMB | Slow heavy equipment applies sustained shear, which damages more than fast traffic at the same load |
| Surface dressing and chip seal | 70/100 or CRS-2 emulsion | Softer binder wets and holds the chip; aged binder causes chip loss |
| Prime coat | MC-30, MC-70 | MC-30 for tight bases. Curing is slower in coastal humidity than inland |
| Tack coat | CSS-1 | Cationic, because Atlantic coastal surfaces are frequently damp |
| Roof and building waterproofing | Oxidized 85/25 | Moderate roof temperatures on the coast; 85/25 suits without going harder |
| Foundation damp proofing | Oxidized 90/40 | Thermal stability with retained flexibility for substrates that move |
| Pipe and steel coating | Oxidized 115/15 | Anti-corrosion enamel, particularly for coastal installations in salt air |
| Roofing membrane | APP on the coast and south, SBS in the mountains | APP for UV and heat; SBS where low-temperature flexibility matters |
Ports
| Port | Serves | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Casablanca | The economic centre, Rabat, interior via motorway | The principal commercial port. Most volume and the widest range of services |
| Tangier Med | The north, and transhipment for the wider region | Major modern container hub with excellent connectivity. Often the fastest to clear |
| Agadir | Souss valley, the south and pre-Saharan routes | Shortens the inland leg substantially for southern projects |
| Nador | The northeast and eastern Rif | Serves the eastern region with a shorter road leg than Tangier |
| Jorf Lasfar | Industrial and bulk cargo | Industrial focus, chiefly phosphate and energy. Bulk handling available |
| Laayoune | The far south | Relevant for southern infrastructure projects where the road leg from Agadir is long |
Choosing the port by project location rather than port size saves real money. Morocco is large and mountainous — Ouarzazate is across the High Atlas from Marrakech, and southern projects reached from Casablanca carry a long inland leg. Agadir for the south and Nador for the northeast often beat Casablanca once trucking is counted.
Packing
| Packing | Per 20′ container | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 180 kg new steel drum | 80 drums ≈ 14.4 MT | Mountain and southern sites without heated discharge |
| 200 kg new steel drum | 80 drums ≈ 16 MT | Lower packing cost per tonne where site handling allows |
| 300 kg jumbo bag | Up to 22 MT | Sites with forklift or crane |
| Bulk bitutainer | 20–25 MT | Coastal asphalt plants near Casablanca or Tangier Med with heated storage |
For Atlas projects, drums are the practical choice regardless of volume. Mountain roads and remote sites make tanker discharge impractical, and winter access is seasonal.
The Moroccan construction market
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Motorway network
Continued extension of the autoroute network linking Tangier, Casablanca, Marrakech and Agadir, plus connections south.
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Urban development
Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech and Tangier drive urban paving, drainage and building waterproofing.
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Tourism infrastructure
Access roads, airport pavement and resort development along the Atlantic coast and in Marrakech.
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Renewable energy
Solar and wind installations in the pre-Saharan south generate access road and site works demand.
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Rural road programme
Connecting mountain and rural communities to the paved network — where grade selection for cold matters most.
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Port and industrial
Tangier Med expansion and industrial zone development, with heavy-duty pavement requirements.
Morocco has limited domestic refining for bitumen, so the market depends substantially on imports. That makes supplier reliability and certificate quality more consequential than in markets with a local fallback.
Price of bitumen in Morocco
| Cost component | Moves with | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base bitumen price | Crude and vacuum bottom | The dominant component. Tracks crude with a lag of a few weeks |
| Ocean freight | Mediterranean and Atlantic routing | Moderate. Longer than Tunisia or Algeria because of the Gibraltar passage |
| Packing | Drum, jumbo bag or bulk | Drums for mountain and southern delivery; bulk viable near the coast |
| Import duty and taxes | Moroccan tariff, EU association terms | HS 2713.20. Confirm the rate with your broker |
| Port and clearance | Handling, storage, demurrage | Tangier Med is generally efficient; Casablanca congestion varies |
| Inland trucking | Distance and terrain | Mountain routes cost more per kilometre than plains. Choosing Agadir over Casablanca for a southern project can save more than the freight difference |
Among grades, 60/70 is the global benchmark and the base others price against. Harder and softer grades carry a differential, oxidized grades reflect the blowing process, and cutback prices follow the solvent as much as the bitumen. Indicative CFR levels for Morocco and other markets are on our bitumen price by country page.
Importing bitumen into Morocco
Morocco does not operate a pre-shipment verification of conformity scheme of the kind Nigeria or Kenya use. Clearance runs on standard customs documentation, which makes it a more straightforward market than several others in the region.
| Document | Issued by | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Seller | Value, parties, Incoterm, HS code. French version advisable |
| Packing list | Seller | Drum count, net and gross weight, container and seal numbers |
| Bill of lading | Shipping line | Title and contract of carriage |
| Certificate of origin | Chamber of commerce at origin | Country of production; determines duty treatment under association terms |
| Certificate of analysis | Producer QC or independent lab | Batch conformity against EN 12591 or the named standard |
| Safety data sheet | Producer | Hazard information. French version strongly advisable |
| Inspection certificate | SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek | Independent quality and quantity verification at loading |
Morocco is francophone in commerce and administration, with Arabic as an official language. Commercial documents in English are generally accepted, but French versions clear faster and avoid queries. We supply the safety data sheet and technical documentation in French as standard. The full picture is in our export documentation guide.
Why choose ZUMRUT as your bitumen supplier in Morocco
Payment terms are 30% by TT in advance with the balance settled against a copy of the bill of lading, and an irrevocable letter of credit at sight for repeat contracts. The balance falls due only once the cargo is on the water and documented.
- Certification against EN 12591 where your tender names it, with the tests that standard requires actually run and reported — not an ASTM certificate with an equivalence note attached.
- We know Morocco does not use VG grades — a small point that tells you whether a supplier has worked the market or copied a template.
- Batch certificate of analysis before loading, with lot number, production date and each measured result.
- Grade advice for the zone, including the honest point that a hard grade fails in the Atlas where thermal cracking rather than rutting is the failure mode.
- French documentation as standard, including the safety data sheet.
- Delivery to whichever port suits the project — Casablanca, Tangier Med, Agadir, Nador or Laayoune — rather than defaulting to the largest.
- Third-party inspection accepted at the load port by SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or the surveyor you name.
- Minimum order 100 MT, roughly seven 20-foot containers of drummed product. Mixed grades accepted where each grade fills a container.
Frequently asked questions
Does Morocco use EN or ASTM bitumen grades?
EN 12591. Moroccan technical standards follow the European system, a legacy of the French administrative tradition reinforced by the EU association agreement and the presence of European contractors. Tenders name 35/50 and 50/70 rather than the ASTM 40/50 and 60/70 used elsewhere in Africa.
Are VG grades used in Morocco?
No. VG-10, VG-30 and VG-40 belong to the Indian standard IS 73:2013 and are not used in Morocco or anywhere in North Africa. They appear in Moroccan-market material occasionally because a supplier has copied a template written for India. If a tender document names one, query it — it has been copied in error.
Is EN 50/70 the same as ASTM 60/70?
Not exactly. The penetration ranges overlap, but EN 12591 requires tests ASTM D946 does not, including the Fraass breaking point and retained penetration after RTFOT. A batch can satisfy 60/70 and fail 50/70 on a test that was never run. If a tender names an EN grade, ask for a certificate reporting against EN.
Which bitumen grade is best for Morocco?
It depends on the zone, and the mountains are the exception people miss. 50/70 for the Atlantic coast, Mediterranean north and interior plains, which covers most of the network. 70/100 or 160/220 for the Atlas and Rif, where snow and freeze-thaw make thermal cracking the failure mode. 35/50 for the pre-Saharan south. Polymer modified binder for motorways, airports and port yards.
Why does a hard bitumen grade fail in the Atlas mountains?
Because Morocco’s latitude suggests a hot-country binder, but the Atlas has genuine winter. Ifrane regularly records sub-zero temperatures and the passes carry snow for months. A 35/50 binder has too little ductility to accommodate thermal contraction, so the pavement cracks — which lets water in, which freezes, which destroys the base. Specifying 70/100 or softer for mountain work is the correct engineering answer, not a compromise.
Which port should bitumen be discharged at in Morocco?
Choose by project location, not port size. Casablanca for the economic centre and interior, Tangier Med for the north with generally the fastest clearance, Agadir for the Souss valley and southern projects, Nador for the northeast, Laayoune for the far south. Morocco is large and mountainous, so the inland leg from the wrong port can exceed any freight saving.
Does Morocco require a certificate of conformity?
No. Morocco does not operate a pre-shipment verification of conformity scheme like Nigeria’s SONCAP or Kenya’s PVoC, which makes it a more straightforward market than several others in the region. Clearance runs on standard customs documentation. What matters on the supply side is a batch certificate of analysis against the standard your contract names.
What packing works best for Moroccan projects?
Steel drums for mountain and southern sites, where heated discharge is unavailable and winter access is seasonal. Jumbo bags where a forklift or crane is available. Bulk bitutainer only for coastal asphalt plants near Casablanca or Tangier Med with heated storage.
Do you provide documentation in French?
Yes. Morocco is francophone in commerce and administration, with Arabic as an official language. We supply the safety data sheet and technical documentation in French as standard. Commercial documents in English are generally accepted, but French versions clear faster and avoid queries.
How long does shipping to Morocco take?
Eight to fourteen days from Mersin depending on the port and routing, longer than Tunisia or Algeria because of the passage through the Strait of Gibraltar to reach the Atlantic ports. Tangier Med, being Mediterranean, is shorter than Casablanca or Agadir. Add three to seven days for the bill of lading after sailing.
What is the HS code for bitumen in Morocco?
Petroleum bitumen, including penetration and oxidized grades, falls under HS 2713.20. Bitumen emulsion and cutback fall under 2715.00. National tariffs add further digits and EU association terms may affect the rate, so confirm the full code and current duty with your customs broker.
What are your payment terms?
30% by TT in advance with the balance settled against a copy of the bill of lading, and an irrevocable letter of credit at sight for repeat contracts. The balance falls due only once the cargo is on the water and documented.
Related pages
Product specifications: bitumen 60/70, bitumen 50/70, bitumen 40/50, bitumen 80/100, polymer modified bitumen, oxidized bitumen and APP membrane. For cross-referencing EN against ASTM, see the grade equivalence chart. For storage limits, see the shelf life and storage guide.
Regional markets we also supply: Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania and Togo. Indicative pricing for more than forty markets is on our bitumen price by country page, and the full network in our global bitumen supply guide.
Order bitumen for Morocco
Send us the grade as your tender names it, the quantity, the packing and the discharge port. Tell us whether the project is coastal, mountain or southern — the answer differs by zone, and we would rather flag a hard grade heading into the Atlas before you order than after the first winter. We will confirm what the certificate of analysis will state, against EN or ASTM as required.
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