A major oil-refining plant in Baniyas operates as a key node in Syria’s fuel supply network. Fuel is unloaded from Syrian Railways freight trains and loaded into tanker cars under refinery and rail supervision. Workers describe the process as essential for supplying energy to power plants across the country, because truck delivery would be far more difficult. Much of the rail system has deteriorated since the civil war, with tracks overgrown and old wagons left to rust. After the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, refinery activity increased, with more trains leaving daily toward cities such as Homs and Aleppo.
"On a sunny February morning, a long screech of locomotive brakes marks the start of the day at Baniyas Refinery, Syria's largest oil-refining plant. It is one of the last functioning arteries of the country's fuel network. Men in helmets stand on a platform above the train, filling tanker cars with fuel as supervisors from the Syrian Petroleum Company look on - both the refinery staff and the rail workers are vital for keeping post-war Syria powered."
"Since the regime fell, activity has really picked up, increasing train frequencies, he says. On good days, two or three trains exit the refinery after being filled and head towards Homs or Aleppo. He explains how important their work is. For workers here, the job is not just routine; it is an essential step to keeping the country supplied with energy."
"Without these cargoes, it would be much more difficult to supply power plants across the country, as everything would be done by truck. Much of the system no longer functions as it once did. Vegetation creeps over tracks, and old passenger wagons sit rusting. Even the rusty orange tankers being filled look outdated."
"None of this will stop today's convoy, destined for the Aleppo Thermal Power Plant, 20km east of the city. The load consists of a 170-meter-long caravan of 12"
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