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Lebanon: Port of Beirut's Container Terminal Resumes Operation

13th August 2020
Customs clearing agents have been allowed back to the (Port of Beirut container) terminal and the first two ships have been worked. AFLOAT adds the photo posted in 2019 by the Port of Beirut facebook page shows in the distance the grain silo (see centre below container gantry) that was severely damaged from last week's catastrophic explosion. On the left is one of the former Irish port serving Nissan Car Carrier's (blull hull) ship's since sold for conversion as a livestock ship. To assist people, UNICEF have launched a campaign (www.unicef.ie/donate/lebanon) on the ground ready to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid, medicine, clean water and food to those in need. Customs clearing agents have been allowed back to the (Port of Beirut container) terminal and the first two ships have been worked. AFLOAT adds the photo posted in 2019 by the Port of Beirut facebook page shows in the distance the grain silo (see centre below container gantry) that was severely damaged from last week's catastrophic explosion. On the left is one of the former Irish port serving Nissan Car Carrier's (blull hull) ship's since sold for conversion as a livestock ship. To assist people, UNICEF have launched a campaign (www.unicef.ie/donate/lebanon) on the ground ready to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid, medicine, clean water and food to those in need. Credit: Port of Beirut-facebook

At the Port of Beirut the container terminal has reopened a week after an explosion that devastated much of the Lebanese capital.

The first two containerships to call at the port, LloydsLoadingList reports, berthed on August 10 as the box terminal began to resume operations.

The 2,670 (teu) Electra A, owned and operated by Turkish operator Arkas, had been sitting at the Beirut anchorage for two days. It has since left and is en route to Iskenderun.

"We discharged and loaded all full containers as planned without exception," a spokesman for Arkas said. "The surprising and pleasing news for us was that no damage was reported on any full export container. However, we cannot yet say the same for empty containers.

`While the operation of MV Electra A was going on, the conditions of the empty containers was not clear yet. Therefore, empty containers were not loaded on this call."

He added that while the crew were not allowed ashore, the ship's master reported that the east part of the terminal was in good condition.

More on this development here at the west Asian port on the shores of the eastern Mediteranean Sea. 

Published in Ports & Shipping
Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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