Resumption of maritime transport trips between Mersin and Tartous: A new beginning for commercial cooperation.

After an absence of more than ten years, maritime transport trips have resumed to reconnect the Turkish port of Mersin with the Syrian port of Tartus, in a move that has been widely welcomed in economic and commercial circles. Dolphin Shipping Company, a Turkish company, announced the resumption of shipping trips on this vital route, with the first trip scheduled for April 21, 2025, using the Ro-Ro cargo ship known as M/V ALARA. According to Mustafa Kasab, the company's CEO, the maritime route between Mersin and Tartus is not just a means of transportation, but a bridge for cross-border cooperation that contributes to enhancing trade and cultural relations between Syria and Turkey. Kasab emphasized that this project reflects the company's commitment to strengthening economic ties, considering the reactivation of the route as a strategic step that opens a promising trade corridor to the Middle East region. The trips will operate at a rate of three trips per week, revitalizing one of the most important maritime navigation routes in the Eastern Mediterranean, which has long been a hub for transporting goods, especially agricultural and industrial products, between the two countries before its suspension. This development is expected to revitalize commercial and economic activity, creating new opportunities for trade exchange and regional cooperation in the upcoming period.