The Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon, Sandra De Waele, accompanied by Damir Malbasetich from the European External Action Service, visited the Port of Tripoli in a visit of strategic nature. The visit aimed to explore the fundamental role the port can play in revitalizing the Lebanese economy and enhancing regional connectivity.
The visit began with a technical and strategic meeting, during which a detailed presentation was given on the strategic importance of the Port of Tripoli. The presentation included the Masterplan, current and future expansion and modernization projects, as well as the port’s role as a vital hub at the local, national, and regional levels in the areas of logistics, trade, and job creation.
Emphasis was also placed on the integrated role of both the Tripoli Special Economic Zone and the reactivation of the railway network, as important elements in building an integrated and multimodal port system.
After that, the delegation made a field tour of the port, including the free zone, the Duty-Free zone, and the passenger terminal. The tour concluded with a visit to the container terminal operated by CMA CGM – Tripoli, where the delegation was briefed on how operational processes and available infrastructure are conducted.
Discussions during the meeting focused on a number of priorities, most notably “accelerating the digital transformation process through the integration of inspection devices and the launch of the Port Community System (PCS), enhancing technical support, capacity building and transfer of expertise, developing green port practices, in addition to supporting a rapid operational assessment of port operations, and enhancing multimodal connectivity, especially between the port, railways and the Special Economic Zone.”
The visit concluded by emphasizing the importance of “completing the dialogue and coordination during the next stage, in light of the clear interest shown by the European Union delegation in the priorities put forward and good listening, which reflects the common desire to strengthen cooperation and support the development of the Port of Tripoli as a fundamental lever for economic development.” (National Agency)
