The first phase of the container terminal at the Misrata Free Zone, the gate to the Libyan market, is 70% complete, says the country's first free-trade economic zone.

The business platform disclosed that the first stage, which targets an area of 50 thousand square metres of the integrated container terminal project, will be ready soon.

According to the Free Zone, the three-stage project targets an area of 150,000 square meters.

Besides paving and infrastructure works, the plan includes setting up a station to operate refrigerated containers, an illumination system, and an in-built fire extinguisher.

The business hub emerged in 2000 as the first free zone in Libya, on an approximate area of 3500 hectares, with the potential for future expansion up to 20,000 hectares.