Atef Al-Shatti, head of co-ordination at the Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA), says maritime representatives also discussed running training courses to ease the skills shortage at Syria’s ports.

In particular, the KPA could run courses to train staff to operate bridge cranes at Syria’s ports. As with many countries around the region, and worldwide, Syria suffers from a shortage of specialist crane operators.

Al-Shatti says Kuwaiti trainers will be sent to Syria soon. Talks will continue over further possible areas of cooperation at a meeting of the Union of Arab Ports, in Cairo on 30 October.