RABAT, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Leading French train maker Alstom will produce 30 electric locomotives for Moroccan railways, the Moroccan state-owned railway operator ONCF announced Thursday.

The deal is worth nearly 152 million U.S. dollars, the ONCF said in a statement.

The purchase of these locomotives is financed totally by a loan from the French government, it said.

It added that the loan spans over a period of 40 years at a very low interest rate of 0.0016 percent.

The deal is part of ONCF's strategy to modernize its locomotive fleet to better meet passengers' needs and contribute to environmental protection, the statement said.