The Syrian General Authority for Land and Maritime Ports announced on Thursday the signing of a strategic partnership agreement with the French shipping company CMA CGM.
According to an informed source who spoke to 963+, the agreement was formalised during a ceremony held at the People’s Palace in Damascus, attended by Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of Syria’s transitional phase.
As part of the meeting, a separate deal was also signed with a French firm to develop and operate the Port of Lattakia on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. The contract is valued at €230 million (approximately $260 million).
Back in late January, the Syrian ports authority revealed it had held a meeting with CMA CGM, which currently operates the container terminal at the Port of Lattakia. The meeting resulted in a new operational contract aimed at enhancing logistics at this key maritime hub.
The statement at the time also noted that both sides agreed to settle outstanding financial obligations accumulated over the past decade and to implement new operational terms and mechanisms to ensure improved performance going forward.
In a related development, the authority issued a directive in late March introducing a 2% transit fee on freight trucks either crossing Syrian territory or moving in and out of free zones. The announcement was made via the authority’s official Telegram channel.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
