Derna_ The Libyan city of Derna that was devastated more than a year ago by Storm Daniel celebrated Friday the entering of the first commercial ship to its newly reopened seaport after being repaired from huge damages caused by the storm.
The Reconstruction Fund for Derna and Affected Areas (RFDAA) announced the arrival of the ship H-M carrying 3,000 tons of cement for one of the companies that are taking part in the reconstructing of the city.
The RFDAA described the event in as a “turning point in the reconstruction process, that contributes to the return of commercial activity to the city.”
“The arrival of the ship is not only a logistical achievement, but also a step that enhances the pace of work towards restoring life and infrastructure to the city, paving the way for strengthening the local economy and driving development forward,” it added.
In June 2023, the ship “MOHAMMED S” loaded with goods entered the Derna seaport. It was the first ship to dock at the port in 10 years.
Derna was hit by Storm Daniel catastrophe in the middle of the night on 10 September 2023, the torrential rains caused the destruction of two dams near the city and resulted on sweeping the third of the city’s building to the sea. Over 10,000 people died, 6,000 injured and some estimate put the missing to 10,000 people.
In 2023, the Egyptian company “Arab Contractors” began to rehabilitate, develop and clean the Derna seaport from the debris caused by Storm Daniel.
In September 2024, Osama Hammad, the Prime Minister of the government in eastern Libya held a meeting with the Belgian Jan De Nul Group which specializes in marine projects with the aim to get this giant company to take part in carrying out major projects in Libya including the expansion of Derna port.
The Director General of the Development and Reconstruction Fund of Libya (DRFL) engineer Belqasim Khalifa Haftar took part in the meeting along with the Belgian Group’s regional Director for Africa and the Middle East, Philippe Morbi, and other officials, including Dominique Bompart and Stephane Duwalt, the company’s project manager in Libya.
The Group’s officials presented a technical and engineering offer to maintain the port of Derna and increase the depth of the port, indicating the Group’s willingness to participate in implementing various projects in its areas of expertise and specialization.