Libya has been added to the list of destinations served by EMES, which transports containers between major ports in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

In June, EMES added direct service to Libya, a country with one of the largest gross national products (GNP) in Africa. The service offers the following route bi-weekly: Istanbul (Marport)/Derince/Benghazi/Misurata/Istanbul (Marport). EMES, which ranks fourth among container shipping lines in the Mediterranean with a fleet of 25 vessels, can carry out conventional and container loads at the same time with its new service. Plans are in place to increase the service to Libya to weekly intervals in the near future with two vessels.

Libya is considered to be a new door that has opened to the African market which is rapidly developing in all sectors because the embargoes imposed against the country have been lifted. Libya is a gateway to a market of 150 million people that includes Niger, Chad, Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt, functioning as a commercial bridge between Africa and Europe. Libya makes it possible to reach a large number of countries through a customs-free trade union known as SIN-SAD which is considered to be the first step toward African unification.

This is an important new service from EMES for Turkish exporters interested in entering the Libyan market during a time when the trade volume between Turkey and Libya is increasing.

Construction and textiles rank first in exports
Turkish exports to Libya increased from 337.2 million dollars in 2004 to 643.2 million dollars in 2007. Many different goods are being exported to Libya, including wheat and mixed flour, precious metals, vegetable oil and shortening, iron and steel goods, construction goods and parts, insulated wire and textile products.