RIYADH, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia said Monday that a shipment of 650,000 barrels of crude oil has arrived in Syria as part of a grant to support the country's energy sector.

The shipment delivered to the port of Banias is the first tranche of a 1.65-million-barrel crude oil grant, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The grant agreement was signed on Sept. 11 between the Saudi Fund for Development and Syria's energy authorities, with oversight from the Saudi Ministry of Energy.

According to the report, the initiative aims to boost the operation of Syrian refineries, support Syria's economic development, address its current economic challenges, and help stimulate key sectors of the Syrian economy. Enditem