The first livestock shipment from Syria arrived at Annaba Port in Algeria today, Saturday, 23 May, aboard the vessel “ALFA BRO,” according to Enab Baladi’s monitoring.

The Algerian Annaba Port Authority said in a statement that the vessel docked at berth No. 22 at Annaba Port at 7:15 a.m., carrying a shipment of sheep.

The statement added that the vessel arriving from Syria was received under special field arrangements aimed at processing the shipment immediately after it docked at the port, as part of a livestock import program intended to meet the needs of the national market.

According to Enab Baladi’s monitoring, the authority did not announce the number of livestock aboard the vessel. Syrian official bodies, including the General Authority for Crossings and Customs, also did not announce any details related to the size of the shipment or when it was sent.

Program to Import One Million Livestock

The Algerian Annaba Port Authority explained that the operation comes as part of implementing a program to import one million sheep to supply the Algerian market and provide sacrificial animals for Eid al-Adha in 2026.

The authority added in its statement that the program falls within efforts by Algerian authorities to ensure sufficient supply in the market during the Eid al-Adha period, which usually sees increased demand for livestock.

Unloading and Processing Measures at the Port

The Annaba Port Authority said port authorities mobilized all human and material resources to receive the vessel and process the shipment under the best conditions.

It added that the measures adopted included accelerating unloading operations and transferring the livestock to approved distribution points, while complying with health and veterinary procedures in force in Algeria.

According to the statement, the goal of these measures is to ensure smooth logistics inside the port and avoid any delay in the arrival of shipments to local markets.

Shipments From Various Countries Under the Program

According to Enab Baladi’s monitoring, Algeria’s livestock import program is not limited to Syria, as another shipment from Spain arrived recently under the same program.

According to official data, these shipments aim to diversify sources of livestock imports to cover growing domestic demand ahead of Eid al-Adha, especially amid the rising need for sacrificial animals across Algeria’s provinces.

These operations also come as part of a broader government plan to secure livestock for the national market and ensure supply stability during the holiday period.

Official Data on Livestock Transport From Syria

In a related context, Syria’s General Authority for Crossings and Customs had said in a previous statement on 31 March that a vessel specialized in transporting livestock had departed from Baniyas Port after being converted from a commercial vessel into a ship designated for transporting sheep.

The authority explained that the conversion work was carried out entirely by local technical teams and lasted no more than six months.

The statement added at the time that the vessel had become capable of transporting about 20,000 sheep across six decks and was equipped according to approved maritime safety standards for livestock transport on long journeys.

The authority also indicated that the project falls within efforts to strengthen reliance on local capabilities in ship maintenance and rehabilitation, and to reduce the need for external maintenance docks.

Previous Context for Maritime Shipping Operations

According to Enab Baladi’s monitoring, the first Syrian vessel designated for transporting livestock departed in November 2025 toward Brazil, after being locally converted from a commercial vessel into a livestock transport ship.

According to the same data, this came as part of developing specialized maritime livestock transport capacities by converting commercial vessels into units equipped to transport sheep according to specific technical standards.

Shipment Arrives Without Quantity Details

According to Enab Baladi’s monitoring, the relevant authorities in Algeria and the General Authority for Crossings and Customs have not yet announced details regarding the number of livestock aboard the “ALFA BRO,” while unloading and processing operations continue inside Annaba Port according to approved organizational procedures.

The shipment comes as part of a series of ongoing import operations aimed at supporting Algeria’s livestock market ahead of Eid al-Adha, while shipments from several countries continue to arrive under the announced government program.