Chinese automotive giant Zhejiang Geely Holding Group is moving into Morocco’s satellite communications sector through its aerospace subsidiary Geespace, marking a major step in the company’s global expansion into North Africa and emerging markets.
Geespace, founded in 2018 and operationally launching satellites since 2022, signed a memorandum of understanding with Casablanca-based Soremar Group, Morocco’s leading marine electronics company with over 80 percent market share. The partnership aims to deploy and commercialize GEESATCOM, Geespace’s low-earth-orbit Internet of Things (IoT) satellite constellation, across Morocco and the wider North African region.
Under the agreement, the two firms will collaborate on constellation system testing, market expansion, and scenario-based applications. Soremar’s extensive local presence and operational expertise will be crucial for rolling out GEESATCOM services targeting key sectors, including transportation, energy, and agriculture.
Geespace’s GEESATCOM network now operates 64 satellites after completing its Phase-1 deployment in September 2025. The system provides global coverage outside polar regions, supporting up to 340 million communications per day for up to 20 million users, with 1,900-byte message capability for text, voice, and image transmission. Previous overseas testing in Oman in June 2024 recorded a 99.15 percent communication success rate and network availability exceeding 99.97 percent.
The Morocco deal aligns with Geespace’s broader international strategy. The company has secured more than 20 partnerships across emerging markets, including a joint venture with Malaysian telecom ALTEL, agreements with Saudi Arabia’s Advanced Telecommunications Solutions and Services, and a partnership with Bangladesh’s Systems & Services Limited. Geespace reports operations in over 20 countries across Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
The expansion also complements Morocco’s growing automotive industry. Last year, the country produced over one million vehicles and exported more than US$14 billion in cars, making it Africa’s largest car exporter and among the top 20 global producers. With the rise of electric vehicles, precision navigation and satellite connectivity are increasingly critical for the sector. GEESATCOM’s low-cost IoT services, flexible service tiers, and reliable connectivity are expected to support automotive manufacturing, logistics, and smart mobility applications.
Geespace is also engaged in satellite projects in Algeria, including a manufacturing facility, a research and applications center, and a collaboration with the Algerian Space Agency to produce low-earth-orbit satellites. By pursuing separate agreements with Morocco and Algeria, Geely is navigating a sensitive geopolitical environment, as the two North African rivals have had strained relations since Algeria severed diplomatic ties with Morocco in 2021.
Geespace has built comprehensive capabilities across the space ecosystem, from constellation design and satellite mass production to communication chipsets and diversified terminals. The company reports 100% on-orbit reliability for its fleet, reflecting robust engineering and operational management. In China, GEESATCOM has been successfully tested in marine fisheries, construction machinery, logistics, smart mobility, and robotaxi applications, demonstrating the system’s versatility for industrial, commercial, and public-sector use.
By leveraging Soremar’s domestic expertise, Geespace aims to replicate this model across Morocco, providing reliable IoT connectivity for industrial, agricultural, and transportation sectors while expanding Geely’s influence in Africa’s space and technology markets. The partnership is seen as a strategic bridge between Chinese technological investment and North African economic development.
This move positions Geely not just as a global automotive leader but also as a growing force in satellite communications, with Morocco serving as a key hub for its North African operations.
