News / CMA CGM expands Syria ambitions with Damascus airport cargo deal

Photo: © Yevhenii Strebkov

Already the operator of Syrian main port Latakia, CMA CGM is now poised to expand its footprint in the Middle East state to encompass air freight.

Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saadé’s close friendship with Emmanuel Macron has been well-chronicled and it has become common for him to accompany France’s head of state on foreign trips where trade deals are struck.

This week, President Macron became the first major western leader to visit Syria since the Assad dictatorship was toppled, and Mr Saadé was seen at the top table with other members of a French delegation and Syria’s president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus for talks aimed at forging deeper diplomatic and economic ties.

According to President Macron’s office, CMA CGM signed a contract to manage air freight activity at Damascus Airport. No further details were disclosed.

Since 2022, CMA CGM has built up a fleet of cargo aircraft and placed an order for eight A350s, due for delivery from late 2027 onwards.

Syria’s air connectivity remains firmly in recovery mode. However, direct flights between European airports and Damascus are gradually resuming after a hiatus of almost nearly 14 years.

This month saw national flagcarrier Syrian Airlines resume direct flights from Amsterdam to Damascus, and there are plans to launch a direct route with Berlin next month.

In June, the Syrian aviation authority said the number of airlines resuming flights to and from the country had increased to 12.

Apart from running Syria’s biggest port, CMA CGM in May signed an agreement with Syria’s General Authority for Ports and Customs to operate two dry ports – one in the Damascus hinterland and the other in Aleppo – which together represent two of the country’s main customs-exempt economic zones.

The dry ports deal forms part of a broader project to integrate Syria’s seaports, border crossings, and inland dry ports into a single logistics network covering both maritime and overland transport, the authority noted.

This week’s bilateral talks saw President al-Sharaa stress Syria’s geographic position as a strategic link between the Mediterranean, the Gulf and Iraq, noting: “Following the Strait of Hormuz crisis, the world has come to recognise the value of safe and stable trade corridors. Today, Syria’s geography has regained its vital role as an indispensable crossroads in the global network of transport and trade routes.”

He highlighted CMA CGM’s investment in Syria’s principal port, Latakia, noting that the French group had signed a €230m agreement for its development and also made a commitment to an additional €200m for the expansion of handling capacity.

President al-Sharaa went on to outline a comprehensive roadmap for Syria’s reconstruction, which would include the modernisation of airports and air navigation systems.

“Our industrial cities are ready to become a platform for your investments. We are building a modern investment environment governed by the rule of law and strong institutions.”

President Macron said France was prepared to deepen economic relations with Syria and support the reconstruction, in partnership with Gulf countries.  The World Bank has estimated the total cost of rebuilding Syria at $216bn.

However, two bomb blasts in central Damascus during President Macron’s visit served as a reminder of the remaining undercurrent of political instability in Syria and the fragile peace since Ahmed al-Sharaa seized power in December 2024.