Syria signs strategic port infrastructure deals with French, Chinese firms
Agreements with CMA CGM and Fidi Contracting aim to enhance trade logistics and free zone development
DAMASCUS, Syria (MNTV) — Syria’s General Authority for Land and Sea Ports has signed two major memoranda of understanding with international firms from France and China to boost its transport infrastructure and revitalize the country’s free zones.
The authority announced a strategic agreement with French shipping giant CMA CGM to establish and operate dry ports in both the shared Syrian-Jordanian free zone and the Adra free zone in rural Damascus.
According to an official statement, the partnership aligns with Syria’s long-term plan to modernize its logistics network by integrating land and sea transport routes.
The development of dry ports is expected to improve the speed and efficiency of cargo movement, reduce trade costs, and elevate Syria’s role as a regional trade hub.
Under the deal, CMA CGM will operate the dry ports in line with international standards, offering comprehensive services such as customs clearance, storage, and multimodal logistics.
The authority says the initiative is set to bolster the investment climate in Syria and the broader region.
The latest announcement builds on an earlier agreement signed on May 1 at the People’s Palace in Damascus in the presence of President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
That deal included plans to invest $260 million over 30 years in the Latakia port, with CMA CGM pledging $33 million in the first year alone.
Over the next four years, a new 1.5-kilometer-long, 17-meter-deep dock will be constructed at Latakia port to accommodate larger vessels, with an estimated investment of $227 million.
Returns on the investment are expected to begin in the sixth year and continue for 25 years.
CMA CGM, headquartered in Marseille, is one of the world’s leading shipping companies, operating 200 maritime routes and servicing 420 ports in 150 countries.
Chinese investment in Homs and Adra
The authority also signed a separate memorandum with the Chinese company Fidi Contracting to develop more than one million square meters of free zone space in Syria.
The agreement grants Fidi Contracting full investment rights over 850,000 square meters in the Hasya free zone in Homs, where it plans to establish an industrial complex featuring specialized manufacturing units and production facilities.
Additionally, the Chinese firm will invest in 300,000 square meters of the Adra free zone to develop commercial and service-oriented infrastructure aimed at serving both domestic and regional markets.
These strategic moves underscore Syria’s push to attract foreign investment and re-integrate into regional economic networks by developing logistics hubs and industrial zones with international partners.
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