The authority said the move comes as part of efforts to follow up on the outcome of a meeting held in Damascus on August 25 between Lebanese Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamny and Syrian Transport Minister Dr. Yarob Badr.
The Lebanese delegation included Ziad Chayya, chairman and director general of the Railway and Public Transport Authority, Tripoli Port Director Dr. Ahmad Tamer, and consulting engineer Rami Khoury.
The Syrian delegation included Deputy Minister for Land Transport and head of the General Establishment of Syrian Railways Mohammad Rahhal, Director of Land Transport Ali Asbar, Deputy Director of Railways Ismail al-Sharm, Nidal Abdel Qader from the Tartous branch of Syrian Railways, and Director of Fixed Installations at Syrian Railways Ahmad al-Shawa.
The tour included an inspection of the railway line inside the Port of Tripoli. The Syrian side expressed positive remarks regarding its condition and the possibility of making use of it, while noting that its final suitability remains subject to technical tests to be carried out by the consultant under the terms of the contract.
The two delegations also visited the Akkari station on the Syrian side, located about five kilometers from the Lebanese border, where they discussed the possibility of linking the Lebanese railway line to the station and, from there, to Homs and the rest of the Syrian railway network.
The Syrian side explained that differences in track gauge between the two railway networks do not constitute a technical or operational obstacle to the proposed connection.
The meetings and field inspections concluded with an agreement to continue work on the project. The next phase will focus on completing technical studies for the route, assessing expected freight traffic, economic feasibility, project costs and funding sources, in preparation for a joint technical workshop between the two sides.
If the project proves economically viable and the necessary funding is secured, it could connect the Port of Tripoli through Akkari station and Homs to the Syrian railway network, strengthening the port’s role in regional trade and freight transport.