The recent Syrian decision to prevent foreign trucks (Jordanian, Lebanese, and Gulf) from entering its territory sparked a state of chaos in the Jordanian transportation sector. The decision began to be implemented, with the exception of “transit” trucks, provided that they are accompanied by security to ensure that the goods are not unloaded inside Syria.
The Syrian authorities imposed the “back to back” mechanism on Jordanian trucks, whereby the loads are unloaded at the border customs squares and transferred to Syrian trucks to continue the journey.
The head of the Syndicate of Clearance Company Owners, Dhaifallah Abu Aqoula, warned that this measure led to truck congestion at the Nassib crossing, increased transportation and handling costs, and put perishable goods at risk, stressing that the crossing infrastructure is not prepared for this volume of logistical operations.
To address the situation, Jordanian Minister of Transport Nidal Al-Qatamin discussed with his Syrian counterpart Yaroub Badr, on the sidelines of the Transport Ministers’ Conference in Istanbul, ways to enhance the ease of land transport and solve problems at the “Jaber-Nasib” crossing.
The two parties emphasized that direct transportation is essential for trade to reduce costs and speed up the arrival of goods. The spokesman for the Jordanian Ministry of Transport indicated continued communication with the Syrian side to reach solutions that allow trucks to return normally.
Economic experts warned that this sudden decision may weaken the competitiveness of Jordanian products in the Syrian market, especially in the sectors of building materials and food products. In another development, and despite these restrictions, Jordan was able last week to pass the first shipment of trucks through the “Bab al-Hawa” crossing to the Turkish and European markets, in an experimental step aimed at diversifying national export outlets away from the stagnation that has continued for years.
(Al Jazeera)
