Ports and Maritime Transport Authority and Elmreisa Free Zone agree to activate free zone through temporary dry port

Libya’s Ports and Maritime Transport Authority and the Board of Directors of the Elmreisa Free Zone (EFZ) decided at a meeting yesterday to activate the EFZ by establishing a dry port.

The dry port will be established at Benghazi’s Jiliana port until the construction of the EFZ starts. EFZ is located 17 km west of central Benghazi.

Background

It will be recalled that at the end of August this year the Ministries of Economy and Trade, Transport and Finance approved the proposal to finance the EFZ’s dry port at Jiliana port until the completion of the main port at the EFZ.

A related proposal was also adopted at the meeting to support a free zone in Kufra, linking it with EFZ through the approved transit trade route Benghazi-Kufra-Africa.

Transit trade road to Africa

It will be recalled that the Transport Ministry had approved in principle the building of a transit trade road to Africa and the establishment of a free zone in the city of Kufra, Benghazi’s EFZ had reported in early July this year.

The announcement came after a meeting between the Minister of Transportation Mohamed Al-Shahubi and Guaider Ibrahim Guaider head of the EFZ. Other relevant stakeholders were also present.

The project will involve the establishment of a transit trade road running through Benghazi, Ajdabiya, Al-Wahat, Kufra and on to Chad and Sudan. The transit trade roads, sea and dry ports are to be funded through the local and foreign private sector.