Syria Hands Port of Tartus Operations to DP World

After ousting the previous Russian operator of the port of Tartus, Syria’s newly-installed government has appointed blue-chip ports concessionaire DP World to take over operations. This decision comes just five days after the U.S. lifted its Foreign Terrorist Organization designation on Syria’s current rulers, former jihadist militia Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

The new concession agreement between Syria’s ports authority and DP World is set to bring $800 million in investments to modernize the Soviet-era facility’s infrastructure. The country’s decade-long civil war and Western sanctions had hindered any significant upgrades under the previous operator. With DP World’s support, the port is expected to become a key regional trade hub connecting Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

This deal with DP World marks a significant milestone in Syria’s post-revolution economic recovery. In a recent turn of events, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, along with his Russian and Iranian allies. Russia had previously secured a 49-year operating lease at Tartus for Stroytransgaz, a Moscow-based oil and gas construction company. However, HTS terminated this contract in January 2025, and restricted access to the port for the Russian Navy.

Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the leader of HTS who led the victory over al-Assad, was present at the signing ceremony with DP World. Al-Sharaa had previously met with President Donald Trump to advocate for normalized relations with Syria. The lifting of the FTO designation was backed by the UAE government, which owns DP World.