Tartus Port – On the eastern shores of the Mediterranean lies Syria’s second most significant port of Tartus. This port (besides the Latakia port) caters Syria’s maritime commerce and transportation with the regional and the global markets. In May 2025, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was inked between Syria’s General Authority for Land and Maritime Ports and the DP World which is a subsidiary of United Arab Emirates investment company Dubai World. It operates terminals in around 40 nations globally and is deemed a notable enterprise in its arena.
This MoU is worth $800 million USD that would administer the logistical operation of the Tartus terminal. This agreement strives to establish industrial zones, free trade areas, dry ports and freight transit facilities across Syria. It aims to comprehensively enhance the efficiency of the port to transform it into a strategic conduit for regional as well as international marine trade.
Recently, the port of Latakia efficiently bagged a $260 million USD investment from the French group Compagnie maritime d’affrètement – Compagnie générale maritime or CMA CGM which deals with shipping and logistical services. Although it has been operating in Latakia since 2009, this recalibration seeks to curate a deeper berth that aims to amplify the operations of the port.
PORT OF TARTUS
The port of Tartus has remained Russia’s sole overseas Naval base in the Mediterranean coast since 1971, under the Soviets and over the years, the influence intensified further. The former regime of Assad was keen to host the Russian warships which bolstered the regime against contenders of the oppressive Alawite rule and an agreement was concluded in 2017 granting Russia full immunity from Syrian jurisdiction. Another landmark agreement was reached in 2019 when Russian engineering company Stroytransgaz was leased the management of the port for a period of 49 years.
However, the decade old influence is diminishing as a novel alignment is pronounced with the ascendance of Ahmed al-Sharaa’s regime in Syria. In January 2025, the new regime terminated this cooperation alleging ports inefficiency due to incompatible laws, exorbitant prices of port services and technical complications, as noted Riad Jodi, the director of Tartus Customs. Though Moscow still upholds the naval footprint, it is likely to be severely curtailed because of Emirati clout over the Tartus.
NOVEL ALIGNMENTS
Since the ouster of Assad’s Alawite regime from Syria, Al Sharra is more inclined toward the Gulf monarchies who share a mutual Sunni foundation. The UAE has been Al Sharra’s second Gulf destination, followed by Saudi Arabia, exhibits this profound affinity. Moreover, Al Sharra has sustained a cordial understanding with its northern neighbor Turkey which is another Sunni-majority country. These strands collectively reflect a more pronounced alignment with the West i.e. much unlike the pro Shiite-Russian camp. Notably President Trump was persuaded by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to give Syria a second chance on the international arena. Hence, it is imperative to note that this deal surfaced amid the revocation of United States’s sanction over Syria.
CONCLUSION
The culmination of such strategic investments seamlessly aligns with Syria’s aspiration of steering away from the persisting clout of Moscow and Tehran. Al Sharra remains eager to uplift the economic trajectory of Syria and seeks foreign direct investment (FDI) in an effort to revitalize its struggling economy. Albeit Russia still holds a significant sway over Tartus through its existing naval base yet this deal is deemed seminal as it restricts Russian influence and reflects strands of realignment of Syria in the post Assad reign. The strategic relevance of the port serves Damascus a potential leverage to counter and maneuver the Syrian national interest with greater autonomy. Hence, such discernible shifts are likely to alter the fate of Syria.
