Libya's Benghazi port reopens after 3-year closure

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The seaport in Benghazi, Libya re-opened Sunday three years after being closed following heavy military activity.

"The seaport of Benghazi was officially opened by the Prime Minister of Libyan interim government appointed by the eastern House of Representatives, Abdullah Thanni, and a number of military officials and engineers of the Ports and Maritime Transport Authority, after three years of closure due to military operations of the army against armed groups," a source of the army told Xinhua.

A boat is seen docked at the Benghazi port, which was closed for the past three years due to militant groups occupying the eastern Libyan city, during a ceremony marking the re-opening of the port on October 1, 2017. /AFP Photo‍

"The port is ready to receive commercial vessels. General Abdarrazzag al-Nadori, Chief of General Staff of the army, has granted permission to operate navigation within the port, after lifting the ban in the port, which was imposed because of insecurity," the source added

The source pointed out that after more than six months of work, the army and the navy "managed to clear all the objects stuck in the port basin, as well as the remnants of ammunition scattered in and around the port.

"Until now we have not received notification of tankers arriving for exports and imports - for now, we are starting up and waiting." Port manager Abdulazim Al-Abbar said by telephone.

Prime Minister Thanni arrived at the port on board a tanker from the eastern city of Tubruq.

The seaport of Benghazi, one of Libya's oldest ports, contains 18 berths with a capacity of 4 million tons per day. Like Benghazi's airport, the port had been closed since 2014 because of a violent war between the army, commanded by General Khalifa Haftar, and local armed groups.

Haftar declared victory in early July, though isolated skirmishes continued. Benghazi airport reopened in mid-July.

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Source(s): Reuters ,Xinhua News Agency