China's Ambassador to Libya visits Benghazi for COSCO direct shipping line inauguration
via Libya Herald6 min read
China's Ambassador to Libya, Ma Xue Liang, along with Belgasem Hafter, Director General of the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund, and the Mayor of Benghazi, attended the inauguration of COSCO's direct shipping line between China and Benghazi. This event marked the arrival of the first cargo ship on this new trade route. Hafter stated that this initiative is a strategic milestone, re-establishing Benghazi as a key trade and economic hub and a gateway for supply and reconstruction efforts. The new direct shipping line, operated by one of the world's largest maritime shipping companies, connects East Asian ports directly to Benghazi, bypassing intermediaries. This development is expected to strengthen Benghazi's Julyana Free Port as a regional transit and re-export hub for goods destined for Mediterranean ports and African countries. Mustafa Al-Salak, COSCO's shipping agent and director of the Benghazi branch of Seas of the World Company, indicated that the service will initially offer two trips per month, with plans to increase to four trips monthly. He highlighted that the direct line will reduce shipping time and costs, support local trade, and positively influence the prices of imported goods, while also creating new investment and commercial transport opportunities in Libya.
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