DP World has signed a 30-year concession agreement with Syria’s General Authority for Land and Sea Ports to develop and operate the port of Tartus.

As part of the agreement, DP World will invest $800m over the duration of the concession to upgrade the port’s infrastructure and position it as a regional trade hub connecting southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Following over a decade of conflict and long-standing underinvestment in trade infrastructure, the redevelopment of Tartus marks an important step in Syria’s economic reintegration. Structured as a build-operate-transfer (BOT) model and fully owned by DP World, the project will include new infrastructure, advanced cargo-handling equipment, and digital systems to improve efficiency across the port’s container and general cargo terminals.

DP World will also explore opportunities to develop free zones, inland logistics hubs, and transit corridors in partnership with local stakeholders, supporting broader economic diversification and trade facilitation efforts.

In May, CMA CGM signed a 30-year deal with the new Syrian government to develop Latakia port, including building a new berth and investing $260m to bolster Syria’s top port.