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Libya has announced the $2.7bn expansion of Misrata Port, led by Terminal Investment Limited.

The consortium comprises Switzerland's Mediterranean Shipping Company and Qatari firm Maha Capital Partners.

The project is being implemented under a public-private partnership model, and is the first of its kind in the country's non-oil sector

The expansion aims to increase the port's container-handling capacity to 4 million containers a year.

Misurata Free Zone (MFZ) is Libya’s largest free zone, spanning an area of 2,576 hectares.

According to an MFZ statement, the expansion includes:

• Expanding container-handling capacity to accommodate larger vessels and more complex logistics chains;  
• Integrating port operations with MFZ’s industrial ecosystem to support small and medium-sized entities, manufacturing and value-added services;
• Deploying modern terminal equipment and digital systems;  
• Enhancing safety, performance and environmental standards in line with global benchmarks;
• Creating long-term employment opportunities.

The Libyan Prime Minister’s Office said the expanded port is expected to generate around $600m in annual operating revenues, create about 8,400 direct jobs and support nearly 60,000 indirect jobs.

The investment scope includes:

• Five ship-to-shore (STS) gantry cranes
• 10 mobile harbour cranes 
• Eight rubber-tired gantry (RTG) cranes  
• 32 reach stackers
• Eight other pieces of equipment, like trucks and forklifts

The project's first phase will raise container-handling capacity to 1.5 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU), increase throughput by 7% and develop and manage berths to 2,000 metres in total.

It also includes installing six RTG cranes and three STS cranes, developing 56 acres of container yards, building a 2,096-square-metre (sq m) refrigerated container warehouse and constructing an additional 7,500 sq m facility.

An advanced terminal operating system will also be implemented.

The second phase will add a further 2.5 million TEUs of capacity, construct a 2,500-metre breakwater, build a new 1,200-metre berth and a new 60-acre container yard, and deepen the port to 17 metres.