For the first time in more than a decade, Syria has exported its first industrial shipment to the United States, following a decade and a half of sanctions and cessation.
Yesterday, Tuesday, the first industrial shipment departed from a Syrian facility to the United States, loaded with plastic packaging products, in a move described as the beginning of a new era for Syrian industry.
Four Syrian Containers to New York
The shipment, which departed from the Hasiya Industrial City in the Homs countryside, was described as “high-quality,” with four containers of “automatic stretch film” used in packaging finished products being exported to the port of New York via the port of Latakia, with a total weight of 100 tons.
The director of the Industrial City, Talal Zaib, attended the shipment, along with the general manager of the Al-Matin Group. Zaib said, “This is a bright day, not only in Hasiya, but also in the history of Syrian industry, as it marks the export of the first container to a market that requires strict standards, such as the American market.”
Zaib also spoke about extensive development plans in Hasya City, including digital transformation, a smart city project, and a dry port intended to serve as a new gateway for Syrian exports.
The Hasya Industrial City registered 90 new investment applications, distributed among local, expatriate, and foreign investors.
The Hasya Industrial City, with a total area of 2,500 hectares, is one of more than 20 industrial zones in Syria.
On May 22, the Syrian General Authority for Land and Sea Ports published a statement on its official social media accounts stating that it had granted the Chinese company “Fidi Contracting” the right to invest in the entire free zone in Hasya, with an area estimated at approximately 850,000 square meters, with the aim of establishing an integrated industrial city containing specialized factories and production facilities.
The memorandum of understanding also granted the company the right to invest 300,000 square meters of the free zone in Adra, Rif Dimashq Governorate, to establish commercial and service projects that meet the requirements of the local and regional markets.
The statement explained: “The contract is for a period of 20 years, provided that the investing company commits to implementing the project phases according to a specific timetable, ensuring economic feasibility and enhancing the free zone’s role as a driver of development and attracting foreign direct investment.”
The Hassiya Industrial City, which spans an area of 2,500 hectares, is one of the most prominent industrial zones in Syria. If it continues on this path, it could usher in a new era of economic recovery for the country.
By Saed Al-Haj Ali
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