Latakia Port Receives Six Modern Gantry Cranes Under the French Development Contract
Latakia Port received six fifth-generation gantry cranes worth over 16 million euros under the French development contract — targeting 120 containers per hour and fourfold handling.
Latakia – Latakia Port received on Thursday six modern fifth-generation rubber-tyred gantry cranes, in a new step within the project to develop and modernise the Latakia International Container Terminal under the contract signed with French shipping company CMA CGM.
Fruits of the French Partnership
Mazen Alloush, Director of the International Relations and Cooperation Department at the General Authority for Land and Sea Ports, said the arrival of these cranes embodies the fruits of the strategic partnership with the French group, and comes as part of modernising the handling equipment fleet and raising the operational efficiency of the international container terminal, in response to the growing movement of maritime navigation and trade. The total value of this batch exceeds 16 million euros (around 17.3 million dollars).
Hybrid Technologies and Handling Speed
Faisal Huwailo, Director of the Latakia International Container Terminal, revealed that the new cranes operate with hybrid technologies that help reduce carbon emissions and reliance on alternative energy, and that they will directly reflect on the speed of maritime movement. He expected the terminal’s operational capacity to rise within two months, reaching a capacity on the shore cranes of around 120 containers per hour.
A Qualitative Leap for the Port
Abdul Hamid Al-Wahab, Director of Latakia Port, considered that operating this equipment represents a qualitative leap for the port, noting that the cranes are among the most modern categories in the region, that handling rates have risen significantly and vessel stay times have fallen, and that handling volume reached 4 million tonnes during the first ten months of 2026, with a target of quadrupling it over the next three years.
Context of the Contract
The contract was signed last May for a period of thirty years with CMA CGM (the world’s third largest shipping company) to manage and redevelop the international container terminal at the port. It provides for a total investment of 230 million euros, including 30 million in the first year, followed by 200 million over the following four years to build a new berth. President Ahmad Al-Sharaa met last August with the French company’s CEO Rodolphe Saade, where the two sides agreed to accelerate the launch of the second phase of the port expansion project.
Prepared by: Construction and Investment Magazine in Syria (CIP)
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