Meetings have been held between key stakeholders in an effort to reopen the Brega oil terminal in eastern Libya – adding to hopes that the port may start exporting again.

The new head of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG), Ali Alahrash, met with his predecessor, Edris Bukhamada, on 22 July.

“The two men met to discuss how to find a resolution to the dispute that caused the port closure,” says Senussi Alhtheri, a spokesman for Ibriham Jathran the rebel leader who seized control of four ports in mid-2013.

Speaking to MEED, Alhtheri said he did not know the outcome of the talks.

Bukhamada comes from the Brega area and on 12 July the oil terminal was closed down by protesters who were angry about him being forced to stand down as leader of the PFG.

On 21 July Reuters reported that a deal had been reached with the protesters and that the terminal was expected to reopen on Tuesday 22 July, citing a company spokesman, but the port is still yet to reopen.

Libya is struggling to revive oil exports amid worsening fighting in the country’s two biggest cities. In Tripoli militias are fighting a turf war that has partially destroyed the city’s international airport. In Benghazi retired general Khalifa Haftar is waging a war with Islamist militants without the government’s authorisation.

Due to the increase in violence over 12 and 13 July Italian oil company Eni and Spanish oil operator Repsol announced they were evacuating expatriates from the country. The announcements come after France’s Total announced it was evacuating oil workers to Malta earlier this month.

Oil output in Libya dropped to 450,000 barrels a day (b/d) on 21 July from 550,000 b/d on 17 July according a Reuters report that cites National Oil Company spokesman Mohamed El Harari.