In special economic zones business and trades laws differ from the rest of the country. The term, and a number of other terms, can have different specific meanings in different countries and publications. Often they have relaxed jurisdiction of customs or related national regulations. They can be ports or other large areas or smaller allocated areas.
Terms include free port (porto Franco), free zone (zona franca), bonded area (US: foreign-trade zone), free economic zone, free trade zone, export processing zone and maquiladora.
Most commonly a free port is a special customs area or small customs territory with generally less strict customs regulations (or no customs duties and/or controls for transshipment). Earlier in history, some free ports like Hong Kong enjoyed political autonomy. Many international airports have free ports, though they tend to be called customs areas, customs zones, or international zones.
Mtwara Freeport Zone
Misrata Free Zone
Free Port of Monrovia
Port Said
Suez Canal Container Terminal
Massawa Free Port and International Airport
Assab Free Port and International Airport
- Tangier Exportation Free Zone
- Atlantic Free Zone Kenitra
The Mauritius Free Port
Registered Free Zones in Nigeria
Although the enabling act came into effect in 1992, the pioneer Free Zone (the Calabar Free Trade Zone) was not fully completed until 1999, and commenced operation after official commissioning in November 2001. Since then, the Free Zones Scheme has been used as a vehicle for industrial and commercial development of the country. Private Sector participation and partnership with the Federal Government and other tiers of government has helped spread the scheme. This has culminated in the establishment of specialised Free Zones and other types of Zones, namely:
The introduction of free zones has played a large role in increasing the amount of investment into Nigeria. When all the free zones are fully operational, Nigeria is projected to play a large role in expanding export-driven manufacturing activities in Africa.
Manama
Shanghai
Guangzhou
Shenzhen
Tianjin
Xiamen
Zhuhai
Central Ferry Piers, Victoria City
Container Terminal 9, Tsing Yi
Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Kowloon
Kwai Tsing Container Terminals, Stonecutters Island
River Trade Terminal, Tuen Mun
Tsim Sha Tsui Ocean Terminal, Kowloon
Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier, Kowloon
Tuen Mun Ferry Pier, Tuen Mun
Batam
Papua
Anzali
Qeshm
Chabahar
Kish Island
PSEEZ
Arvand Free Zone
Eilat
Nagasaki
Niigata
Tokyo
Thailand
Port of Laem Chabang
Port of Bangkok
Port of Chieng Saen
Port of Chiang Kong
Port of Ranong
Port of Beirut
Port of Tripoli (Lebanon)
Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal, Cotai West
Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, Sé, Macau Peninsula
Taipa Ferry Terminal, Taipa East
Ka Ho Port, Coloane
Penang Until 1969
Langkawi
Tsagaan Nuur Free Economic Zone
Altanbulag Free Trade Zone
Zamyn-Uud Free Economic Zone
Gwadar Gwadar Port
Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority
Singapore
Incheon
Busan
Gwangyang
Port of Keelung Free Trade Zone
Port of Taipei Free Trade Zone
Port of Taichung Free Trade Zone
Port of Kaohsiung Free Trade Zone
Taoyuan Air Cargo Park Free Trade Zone
Mersin
İzmir
Çorlu
Adana-Yumurtalık
Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone (ADAFZ)
Ahmed Bin Rashid Free Zone (ABRFZ)
Ajman Free Zone (AFZ)
Creative City
Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ)
Dubai Biotechnology & Research Park (DuBiotech)
Dubai Car and Automotive City Free Zone (DUCAMZ)
Dubai Gold and Diamond Park
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Free Zone
Dubai Internet City
Dubai Media City
Dubai Studio City
Dubai TechnoPark
Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone (TECOM)
International Media Production Zone
Dubai Knowledge Village
Dubai Logistics City
Dubai Healthcare City
Dubai Industrial City (DIC)
Dubai International Academic City
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
DuBiotech
Economic Zones World (EZW)
Fujairah Free Zone (FFZ)
Dubai Outsource Zone
Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO)
Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA)
Hamriyah Free Zone
Higher Corporation for Specialized Economic Zones (HCSEZ) - ZonesCorp
Industrial City of Abu Dhabi
JLT Free Zone Dubai
Khalifa Port and Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad)
RAK Investment Authority Free Zone (RAKIA FZ)
Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone
Ras Al Khaimah IT Park
Ras Al Khaimah Media Free Zone
Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF)
twofour54 Abu Dhabi
Virtuzone Free Zone
Koplik (Albanian Alps)
Spitalle (Port of Durres)
(member of the European Union)
Linz (port on river Danube)
Vienna (port on river Danube)
Brest FEZ
Grodno FEZ
(member of the European Union)
Rijeka, 1723
Zadar, 1922-1947 (Porto Franco della città di Zara)
(member of the European Union)
Freeport of Copenhagen (Københavns Frihavn), Copenhagen
Finland
(member of the European Union)
Free zone of Lappeenranta (Lappeenrannan Vapaa-alue)
Freeport of Hanko (Hangon Vapaasatama)
(member of the European Union)
Free Zone of Le Verdon - Port de Bordeaux (Zone franche du Verdon — Port de Bordeaux)
(member of the European Union)
Freeport of Bremerhaven (Freihafen Bremerhaven)
Freeport of Cuxhaven (Freihafen Cuxhaven), since 1896
Freeport of Deggendorf (Freihafen Deggendorf), since 1989
Freeport of Duisburg (Freihafen Duisburg), since 1989
Adjara autonomous republic
Batumi, 1878-1886 (then Russia)
Port of Gibraltar
(member of the European Union)
Free zone of Piraeus
Free zone of Thessaloniki
Free zone of Heraklion
Free zone of Evros (Debzos)
Ireland
(member of the European Union)
Port of Cork Free Port
Shannon Free Zone
Isle of Man Airport (Ballasala)
(member of the European Union)
Livorno, 1675–1860
Free Zone of Venice (Porto franco di Venezia)
Aosta Valley
Campione d'Italia
Livigno
Port of Trieste
(member of the European Union)
Free port of Riga
Free port of Ventspils
(member of the European Union)
Free Port of Klaipėda
Klaipėda Free Economic Zone
Kaunas Free Economic Zone
Luxembourg Freeport
(member of the European Union)
Malta Freeport
Monaco Freeport
(member of the European Union)
Free Zone of Madeira - Caniçal (Zona franca da Madeira - Caniçal)
(member of the European Union)
Port of Constanţa, January 2007
Nakhodka
Vladivostok, 1861–1909, 2015 (Free port of Vladivostok)
(member of the European Union)
Free zone of Barcelona (Zona franca de Barcelona)
Free zone of Cádiz (Zona franca de Cádiz)
Free zone of Vigo (Zona franca de Vigo)
Free zone of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Zona franca de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)
Free zone of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Zona franca de Tenerife)
(Ceuta and Melilla are not Free Ports or Free zones because they are part of Spain, but not part of the European union for customs and excises)
(member of the European Union)
Marstrand Free Port, 18th century
Saint-Barthélemy, 1785–1878
Stockholms frihamn, 1919–1995
Frihamnen, Göteborg, 1922-
Switzerland
Geneva Freeport, La Praille, Geneva
Geneva Cointrin International Airport free port, Geneva
Magazzini Generali con Punto Franco SA, Chiasso and Stabio, free port and bonded warehouse, Chiasso
PESA - Port-Franc et Entrepôts de Lausanne-Chavornay SA, free port and bonded warehouse, Chavornay (Vaud)
SEV - Société des Entrepôts Vevey SA, free port and bonded warehouse, Vevey
(member of the European Union)
Limassol Free Zone
Larnaca Free Zone
free port and free economic zone Odessa
1819-1858
Trade sea port of Odessa, January 1, 2000 for 25 years
(member of the European Union)
Liverpool Free Zone
Prestwick Airport Free Zone
Southampton Free Zone
Tilbury Free Zone
Port of Sheerness Free Zone
Zona Franca La Plata
Polo Industrial Zona Franca General Pico, La Pampa
Freeport, Grand Bahama
Free port of Hamilton Harbour, Hamilton, Bermuda
Zona Franca de Manaus
Regina
Iquique
Punta Arenas
San Andrés Islands
Zona Franca Bogota
Zona Franca del Pacifico Cali-Palmira
Mega Port of Punta Caucedo
Montego Bay
Colón Free Trade Zone
Zona Franca Saret
Carrasco International Airport (Free Airport)
Zona Franca de Montevideo
Zona Franca Colonia
Zona Franca Rivera
Puerto de Montevideo (Free Port)
United States Virgin Islands
Free port of Isla Margarita (Puerto Libre de Margarita)
Free zone of the Paraguaná Peninsula (Zona Franca de la Península de Paraguaná)
Free zone of Santa Elena de Uairén (Zona Franca de Santa Elena de Uairén)
