The Ministry of Transport announced that the Port of Zarzis welcomed, on the morning of Sunday, April 26, 2026, its first container ship, marking the launch of its first regular international maritime line dedicated to freight transport. This line connects the commercial ports of Zarzis and Radès with Gioia Tauro in Italy and Tripoli in Libya.
In a press release issued on Sunday, the ministry clarified that the port received approximately 407 empty containers, which will be handed over to customers before being re-shipped through the same port by mid-May 2026.
According to the same source, the establishment of this commercial activity at the Port of Zarzis fits within the efforts to develop economic activity and to boost trade in southeastern Tunisia. It also responds to the demands of numerous companies based in the region that are involved in export activities via Zarzis’ commercial port.
This decision is also intended to encourage investment in the region, by reducing transport costs and transit times for goods, while leveraging the capacities available at the port.
The Ministry of Transport also stressed that the necessary equipment and resources have been mobilized to ensure loading, unloading and handling operations for the containers, with the participation of the various authorities, agencies and companies operating at the port.
Moreover, the Zarzis commercial port is currently preparing to launch a dredging project by the end of the year. This project aims to enable the port to host larger vessels with a draft of up to 11 meters, both within the framework of commercial activity and for tourist cruises and passenger transport, while ensuring maritime navigation safety, according to the same source.
