A major construction project is now underway at the Port of Beirut, with the harbor’s container facility being expanded by 409 meters, where it eventually will reach the banks of the Beirut River. According to Al-Mustaqbal daily, the refurbished container freight terminal will open by the beginning of 2001, and it is a likely recipient of the ISO 9002 award for best sea shipment service provider in the region.
With a history dating back to the 15th century B.C., Beirut’s port lies at the strategic point between three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa, making it a natural passageway between east and west. Its activity was severely hampered by the civil war of the 1970s and 1980s, but since peace was restored some renovation has taken place, implemented in part by the Gestion et Exploitation du Port du Beirut.
Today, the port is able to handle about 200,000 containers annually, but according to the transit traffic forecasts this figure will be raised to 1.25 million containers annually.
The expanded port will be 6,000 meters long and 15 meters deep. –(Albawaba-MEBG)
