Saint Andre Free Zone Authority
The Saint Andre Free Zone Authority (SAFZA) is a semi-autonomous regulatory and development agency established by the government of Natopia in 1710 AN to administer and promote the Saint Andre Free Zone, a designated customs and logistics corridor surrounding the Port of Saint Andre. Headquartered in Saint Andre, Natopia, SAFZA operates under the joint supervision of the Imperial Court of Natopia and the demesnial government of Saint Andre, with a mandate to facilitate trade, attract foreign investment, and manage security operations within the free zone.
Structure
The Saint Andre Free Zone Authority (SAFZA) is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners, each appointed by the Empress of the Natopians on advice of the Chancellor of Natopia and the Mayor of Port St. Andre, to serve staggered five-year terms. This board provides strategic oversight and appoints the Director-General of SAFZA, who serves as the authority’s chief executive, representing it in both intergovernmental coordination and commercial negotiations.
Security and regulation
SAFZA maintains a close working relationship with the Court of Vista de Nada, Imperial Chancellery of Natopia, the Natopian Defense Force, and the Apollonia Command of the Raspur Pact. The authority is empowered to conduct inspections, revoke licenses, and impose fines or sanctions on zone operators. It also maintains a blacklist of firms found in violation of Raspur Pact export restrictions or suspected of illicit transshipment.
The zone has attracted scrutiny in recent years due to its permissive regulatory environment. Firms such as Southern Apollonia Logistics & Security Group and OAMEX have used SAFZA-licensed facilities to coordinate regional operations, including in high-risk conflict zones such as Floria.
Saint Andre Free Zone
The Saint Andre Free Zone is a designated customs and logistics area located within the city of Port St. Andre in the demesne of Saint Andre, Natopia. Established in 1710 AN, the zone spans over 28 square kilometers surrounding the Port of Saint Andre, offering streamlined customs procedures, duty-free import and export privileges, and specialized infrastructure for warehousing, transshipment, and military-adjacent logistics. Managed by the Saint Andre Free Zone Authority, the zone plays a critical role in supporting Raspur Pact trade and defense logistics, serving as a major hub for firms such as OAMEX, SATCo, Kerularios & Company, Pontecorvo Firm, and many others. Its strategic location, tax incentives, and relaxed regulatory environment have made it one of the most active and controversial free trade zones in southern Apollonia.
Although the Apollonian Directorate of the Honourable Company operates a separate Residency in Port St. Andre, the proximity of the two hubs facilitated close economic cooperation, particularly during peak periods around the unloading of the intercontinental trade fleets.
Economic significance
The Saint Andre Free Zone is one of the busiest trade and logistics corridors in Natopia, handling an estimated 35% of all non-agricultural container throughput by volume. It serves as a key node in the Raspur Pact's Allied Production Matrix, with goods flowing between Natopia, Nouvelle Alexandrie, the Benacian Union, and many other nations. The zone is also home to bonded warehouses for rare minerals traded via the Neridian Commodities Exchange.
