CMA CGM will invest US$100 million to expand the container terminal at the Port of Beirut.
The project will more than double the terminal’s annual capacity from 1.2 million to 2.8 million TEUs.
The expansion officially moved forward on 10 September with a foundation-stone ceremony at the Lebanese port.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam attended the ceremony alongside CMA CGM Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saadé and Port of Beirut Chairman and Director General Marwan Naffi.
The project is expected to take approximately 18 months to complete.
Terminal capacity to more than double
The expansion will increase the terminal’s footprint from 45 to 80 hectares.
According to CMA CGM, the additional space will primarily be used to expand container stacking areas.
Annual handling capacity will increase from 1.2 million to 2.8 million TEUs.
The development aims to accommodate growing cargo volumes and support Lebanon’s future trade needs. It is also expected to strengthen Beirut’s position as a gateway for regional and international trade.
New feeder quay and automated gate
The project includes a new quay dedicated to feeder vessels.
Two mobile cranes will be installed at the new quay to reduce vessel and cargo waiting times.
CMA CGM will also develop a new customs inspection area equipped with two X-ray scanners. Additional parking and staging areas are planned.
A heavy-haul bridge will also be built to improve traffic flows and reduce congestion around the terminal.
The terminal will receive new-generation cargo-handling equipment, including hybrid and energy-efficient machinery.
Optimised container storage areas and a new automated gate complex will further support terminal operations.
CMA CGM will finance and plan the expansion. The Group will also oversee the works and execution of the project.
CMA CGM strengthens presence in Beirut
CMA CGM already operates the Port of Beirut container terminal through its subsidiary CMA Terminals.
The Group secured a 10-year contract in 2022 to manage, operate and maintain the facility.
At the time, CMA CGM announced a US$33 million investment programme to rebuild and modernise the terminal.
That programme included infrastructure upgrades, new equipment and the digital transformation of terminal operations.
The latest US$100 million project represents a new phase in the development of the facility.
“Since taking over the Beirut Container Terminal concession four years ago, we have given the terminal the means not only to recover but to thrive and reclaim its rightful place,” said Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group.
Saadé said the latest investment will further modernise the facility and support Beirut’s position as a gateway connecting Lebanon with regional and international markets.
