Qatari group, MSC unit seal $2.7bn deal for big Libyan port upgrade

21/01/2026 05:52 AST

Libya's Misurata Free Zone Authority (MFZ) has signed a $2.7 billion public-private partnership deal for the modernisation and expansion of the country's largest container gateway, thus marking its first major infrastructure PPP outside the energy sector.

Under the terms of the agreement, MFZ will collaborate with Maha Capital Partners, an international infrastructure investor headquartered in Doha, and Terminal Investment Limited (TIL), the port operator of MSC, the world's largest container shipping line. Together, the partners aim to transform Misurata Port into a modern, efficient, high-capacity facility that strengthens Libya's role in regional and global trade.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Abdulhamid Aldabiba Prime Minister of Libya said: "This partnership represents an important milestone in Libya's economic recovery and infrastructure modernisation. It demonstrates our commitment to rebuilding strategic assets through structured public-private cooperation and to creating the conditions for sustainable growth, investment, and international confidence."

It was also attended by Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic; Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar; Ammar Kanaan, Chief Executive Officer, Terminal Investment Limited (TiL); Muhsin Sigutri, the Chairman of Misurata Free Zone; Diego Aponte, President, MSC Group and Aboobacker Manattukundayil, the President of Maha Capital Partners.

Established in 2000 as Libya's first and largest free zone, MFZ oversees a 2,576-hectare economic area, with plans to reach 20,000 hectares, and manages the port that handles around 60-65% of all of Libya's container trade.

MFZ Chairman Muhsin M. Sigutri said: "This partnership reflects Misurata's determination to build modern, internationally competitive infrastructure that can unlock new industries, support local employment, and strengthen Libya's position within regional and global supply chains. MFZ was created to be a gateway for investment and growth, today we take a decisive step toward realising that vision."

The partnership includes:

*Expansion of container-handling capacity to accommodate larger vessels and support complex logistics chains.

*Integration with MFZ's industrial ecosystem, boosting opportunities for SMEs, manufacturing, and value-added services.

*Deployment of state-of-the-art terminal equipment and digital systems.

*Enhanced safety, performance, and environmental standards, aligning operations with world-class benchmarks and

Long-term job creation.
Under the PPP deal, the consortium will develop, manage and operate the port with the aim of transforming it into a high-capacity Mediterranean transhipment hub capable of handling larger vessels and more complex logistics chains.

The partnership also establishes the foundation for Misurata's evolution into a deep-sea port, a central ambition for Libya's competitiveness in the Mediterranean. This future development forms part of a broader investment programme to be deployed in phases, it stated.

These upgrades reinforce Misurata's historic role as one of Libya's most dynamic commercial centres and a symbol of resilience since 2011.