A plan to connect Lebanon and Cyprus with a ferry line is being launched by the Lebanese group of companies INDEVCO, which has also made investments in Greece.
Cyprus, so far, is only accessible by plane or private boats. The plan was launched in 2021 by the MP and CEO of the group, Neemat Frem, and was a long-standing ambition of his father, and founder of the company.
It was initially intended to serve as an alternative solution in the event of war or the airport in Lebanon being shut down, but it seems that it also aspires to create a direct European connection via Cyprus, which could help ease the pressure on air travel. It is estimated that around 100,000 passengers travel between Lebanon and Cyprus during the summer months.
Lebanon and Cyprus were once connected by ferry services, but this ceased 20 years ago. A line operated by the Lebanese Forces ran between Larnaca and the city of Jounieh, on the country’s northern coastline, about twenty kilometers from Beirut, for about two years during the civil war, before it was discontinued.
Following the escalation of the Israel-Hezbollah war in late September, many residents fled Lebanon by sea to Cyprus as commercial flight options were reduced, as all airlines – except the MEA national carrier – suspended operations in and out of the country.
As MEA flights were overwhelmed by rising demand and often completely booked, many travelers turned to yachts and overpriced ships as their only remaining means of escape.
The initiative is expected to boost economic activity and tourism, as the connection could even pave the way for joint routes connecting the two countries, encouraging tourists heading to Cyprus to visit Lebanon on the same trip (around five million tourists visit Cyprus annually). Travel will also become easier for Cypriot businesses looking to expand to Lebanon and vice versa.
Work could begin in early summer 2025, although other sources say it is still early days, as despite the initial welcome of the project by the competent Cypriot Ministry of Transport and the national investment authority, Invest in Cyprus, according to several publications, the project is currently at the stage of investigating details by investors.
The ship will operate between the ports of Larnaca and Jounieh (Kesrouan) (approximately 24 kilometers north of Beirut), while each crossing is expected to last approximately four hours. Passengers who are Lebanese passport holders will need to present a valid EU Schengen visa to enter Cyprus. For its part, INDEVCO plans to establish a company in Cyprus to operate the line and will initially purchase a ship, which will sail under the Cypriot flag, with a capacity of approximately 200 passengers.
According to a preliminary study conducted by the group, ferry tickets could be 20-30% lower than air tickets, ranging from 100, 150 to 200 dollars, depending on the season, demand, and the ship’s load. In this case, Lebanese people will have the opportunity to take the ship to Cyprus and catch more affordable flights to destinations throughout the Mediterranean and the world.
Rachad Zeaiter, advisor to the Lebanese Minister of Public Works and Transport for seaports and airports, said that the port of Jounieh requires basic infrastructure upgrades, including security scanners and the deployment of security and military forces to manage cross-border traffic. However, he added that efforts are being made to assess and meet these requirements in order to facilitate the start of the project by the private company INDEVCO.
(*) Information comes from the Economic and Commercial Affairs Office in Beirut.
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