Tartus Power Shift: UAE Investment Surges as Syria Reconsiders Russia’s Military Lease

Source and Credit: Government of Dubai Media Office

DP World has formally taken over operations at Tartus Port following a handover from the Syrian General Authority for Land and Sea Ports, marking the launch of a 30-year concession agreement that includes up to $800 million in planned investment.

The step represents one of the largest foreign investments in Syria’s logistics sector since the war began and comes during a period of fast-moving political change under the country’s new leadership.

The commencement of operations also included the deployment of the new harbour tug Al Fath, a 22-meter vessel equipped with 50-tonne bollard pull and firefighting water cannons to enhance ship-handling safety.

A Strategic Port at a Strategic Moment

DP World’s entry into Tartus comes shortly after the rise of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who assumed power following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. Assad fled to Russia, where he remains under Kremlin protection.

Al-Sharaa has publicly demanded Assad’s return — a move that has reset the tone of Damascus’s relationship with Moscow.

At the same time, Tartus is not just any port: it is home to Russia’s only Mediterranean naval base, positioned adjacent to the commercial terminals now being modernized by DP World.

This overlap is what gives the project its geopolitical weight.

What DP World Controls — And What It Doesn’t

DP World’s concession covers only the commercial port facilities:

• cargo berths

• bulk and breakbulk terminals

• logistics yards and warehouses

• equipment upgrades

• dredging and digitalization

The concession does not include Russia’s naval facility.

Russia still holds a 49-year lease (signed in 2017) over the military base at Tartus — a separate, sovereign military zone that remains under Russian command.

But the Military Base Is Now Part of Negotiations

According to official government statements, Moscow confirmed that Putin and President Al Sharaa are actively discussing “Russia’s military bases in Syria.”

These talks include Tartus and the Hmeimim airbase.

Reports indicate:

• Russia is struggling to secure guaranteed long-term control of the bases under the new Syrian administration.

• Syria may allow Russia to retain its bases only if certain political and economic conditions are met.

• The future of the Tartus military facility is no longer assumed — it is a point of negotiation between Al Sharaa and Putin.

This is a significant shift from the Assad era, when Moscow’s military presence in Syria was essentially uncontested.

DP World's Redevelopment Roadmap

DP World Tartus CEO Fahad Al Banna — a seasoned executive who previously led operations at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port — outlined a multi-phase modernization plan.

Immediate priorities

• dredging port access channels

• rehabilitating and replacing handling equipment

• introducing specialized maritime assets

• deploying DP World’s digital platforms

• workforce training and safety modernization

Medium-term vision

• expanded cargo-handling capacity

• upgraded infrastructure and superstructure

• modern bulk-handling systems

• new facilities for both containerized and non-containerized cargo

Al Banna emphasized the broader economic potential:

“We are committed to applying DP World’s global expertise to build a modern and digitally enabled port that will grow trade, create opportunities and firmly position Tartus as a key trade hub in the Eastern Mediterranean.”

Geopolitical Stakes: Why Tartus Matters to Russia

Tartus has long been central to Russia’s operations far beyond Syria:

• naval access to the Mediterranean

• strategic reach toward Africa

• logistical pathways to Libya, Sudan, the Sahel

• a permanent outpost near NATO’s southern flank

DP World’s takeover of the commercial side does not remove Russia from Tartus — but the fact that Al Sharaa is renegotiating Russian basing rights, while simultaneously inviting UAE investment, signals a profound shift.

In plain terms:

• Russia still controls the military base

• UAE controls the commercial port

• Syria is using its new political moment to rebalance power

• Putin and Al Sharaa are now negotiating over Russia’s future access

The DP World concession, occurring alongside these negotiations, represents a recalibration of external influence in one of Syria’s most strategic assets.