Ferry service direct to Libya
 

Hi,

The Libyan government 'indefinitely suspended' its own ro-ro ferry service on the Tripoli Genoa route some time ago. Has any one heard rumors of it being re-started? Or of any other operator starting a similar service?

(I have heard only the vaguest mention of this from a German contact who has been unable to find out anything more, so it's probably just out of date information.)

All the best,
Toby

Have you tried Italy ( Sicely ) to Malta and ferry to Libya

I checked this out a few months ago and although there has been a service out of Malta or west Italy, it looked a bit sketchy and for reasons of price or frequency or regs, I've never heard of desert-bound car travellers taking it or even considered it worth investigating. Most of us settle for the Mars or Genoa to Tunis CTN/SNCM run which depends on throngs of Tunisian guest workers to-ing and fro-ing in overloaded hatchabcks (plus a few of us in winter). I suspect there is no such similar traffic of Libyans and so there's little demand for a ferry, or maybe only the two northern land borders in Libya are set up to deal with temp car importation.

But let's hope it happens one day.

Ch

I had a look recently after hearing similar rumours, but nothing doing. We're going via Marseilles/Tunis now.

Thanks for the responses, looks like we'll be going Genoa - Tunis then.

Eightpot - you might want to check prices for this route as well, it was somewhat cheaper than Marseilles when we looked...

I will post here if anything more comes to light.

All the best,
Toby

Hi TobyW,

I am from Malta, I know that the service from Malta to Libya used to happen a while ago but i am not sure it still does to be honest. If you really are concidering it i can check for you. let me know. (its night time here cause i would have just made some calls now and checked) The route sicily - malta is open via ferry and catamaran thats known for sure. anyways let us know if you need any more help mate . take care !

Ozzee,

Many thanks for your kind offer, however, don't worry as it was really only the Genoa -Tripoli route that that the Libyan government's own ferry apparently used to run that we were interested in. Whilst I'd love to visit Malta at some point, we just wouldn't have time to make it part of our Libya trip.

Thanks again,
Toby

Info needed Malta to Libya
 

This is an old post from ozzee on Malta. My husband is considering a job in Libya but I am not sure I want to live there full time. We are considering getting a place in Sicily of Malta if there is easy transport between the locations...anyone have any info for me?

Thanks!

They've been talking about this ferry for the last 10 years, but it's only ever been talk I'm afraid.

Sam.

To enter LY by ones own car cannot be recommended other than via Ras Ajdir or Umm Saad (Sollum). At these two places the customs is prepared to let enter tourist cars and the local tourist agencies know how t deal with the procedure.

In principle you do nothing else than a 'temporary import' of a vehicle.

Such can be done as well via one of the seaports. But a tourist does not want to stay a long time in the port - the desert is the target. The seaports hardly have the required formsheets, customs plates etc. Therefore, if you would bring your car this way, you would need a lot of preparation in advance to avoid that you loose many days in the harbour... I fear, for a tourist, this is not really a practicable solution."