(Ecofin Agency) - Three oil ports in Libya that have been shut down for over a year are to be reopened, as the country now has a unity government in Tripoli, a spokesman Petroleum Facilities Guard said .

“We are planning to reopen the ports. It’s under the control of the unity government now,” Ali al-Hassi, a spokesman for the Petroleum Facilities Guard, said.

The oil ports in Es Sider, Ras Lanuf and Zueitina ports were shut down for about a year and half after Libya was divided between two governments in the East and West. Afterwards, the ports were the sight of violent attacks, generally by the Libyan branch of Islamic State, Wall Street Journal reports.

But recently Fayez Sarraj, the head of a U.N.-sponsored government certified by parties on both sides, reached Tripoli to begin the running of the country.

Sarraj’s cabinet, which was named the Government of National Reconciliation, confirmed that the guards watching over the installations had agreed to open ports and work instantly under its control.

The reopening of the ports increases the hope that Libya can boost its oil exports, the main source of revenue for the country. In previous months the country produced approximately 400,000 bpd, due to continuous attacks by Islamic militants on its facilities.

The militants attacked a pipeline leading to the Zueitina terminal, which has an export capacity of 70,000 bpd in February. Oil storage tanks at the Ras Lanuf and es-Sider ports, which have the ability to load 550,000 bpd were also damaged.

Libya’s National Oil Company (NOC) had said that the damage will hinder the yield of 300,000 bpd out of the two terminals’ loading capacity of 560,000 bpd.

Anita Fatunji