The General Authority for Land and Sea Ports in Syria signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with the French company “CMA CGM” to establish and operate dry ports in both the shared Syrian-Jordanian free zone and the free zone in Adra, rural Damascus.

According to a statement from the authority, published on Friday, May 23, this step is part of the authority’s vision to develop logistical infrastructure and enhance the role of free zones as pivotal centers for regional trade.

This will be achieved by connecting them with international maritime and land transport networks and ensuring an effective integration between ports and dry ports, which contributes to speeding up the movement of goods and reducing costs.

Under the agreement, the company “CMA CGM” will manage and operate the dry ports according to the best international standards, providing integrated services that include customs clearance, storage, and multimodal transport, positively impacting the investment environment in Syria and the region.

Previous agreement

The authority had signed an agreement with the company “CMA CGM” at the People’s Palace in Damascus on May 1, in the presence of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The director of the Latakia Port, Ahmad Ali Mustafa, stated to Enab Baladi at that time that he halted the previous contract between the French company and the former regime, which received renewal in November 2024 for managing the Latakia container terminal, and the Syrian government has since taken over the task of arranging a new contract with new details.

According to the port director’s statement, the significant points of the new agreement include a contract duration set for 30 years, during which €230 million will be invested—€30 million will be injected by the company in the first year.

In the following four years, a new dock will be constructed at the Latakia port with global standard specifications, measuring 1.5 kilometers in length and 17 meters deep, with an investment value reaching €200 million.

The construction of this dock will allow large cargo ships, which currently cannot enter Latakia port, to come in significant numbers, and it will provide the necessary infrastructure to operate it.

After the fifth year, the returns from this investment will begin, and funds will start flowing in during the next 25 years.

“CMA CGM” is a French container transportation and shipping company. It is a leading shipping group worldwide, operating 200 shipping routes among 420 ports across 150 different countries.

Chinese company

On May 22, the General Authority for Land and Sea Ports also announced the signing of a strategic memorandum of understanding with the Chinese company “Fidi Contracting” to invest in free zones in Syria, covering an area of over one million square meters.

According to the statement from the authority, the memorandum of understanding grants the company the right to fully invest in the free zone in Hasya area in Homs, an area estimated at about 850,000 square meters, aimed at establishing a comprehensive industrial zone containing specialized factories and production facilities.

The Chinese company has also been granted the right to invest 300,000 square meters of the free zone in Adra, rural Damascus, to establish commercial and service projects that meet the demands of the local and regional market.