Nine days after one of the worst events in containerised cargo history the Port of Beirut has reopened after what has been called only minor damage to the container terminal.
Hapag-Lloyd said that following this positive news, the company will immediately reinstate its services to Lebanon, via Beirut Port.
The German carrier’s first vessel on the Levante Express (LEX) Service that will call at Beirut will be the Mona Lisa (voyage 2031W), on 14 August. The ship will also deliver import cargo from Fleur N (Voyage 2030W), that omitted its Beirut call and discharged cargo in Damietta.
Hapag’s East Med Express (EME) Service will also reinstate Beirut calls, with the CMA CGM Musset (voyage 031S / 033N) as the first vessel on 15 August 15.
“Alongside our service reinstatement, we are also reopening booking acceptance for cargo to and from Beirut,” said a company statement, which added “We kindly ask for your patience while we are still evaluating the extent of the damage on our containers that were present in the port at the time of the blast.”
French liner operator CMA CGM has also reinstated calls at the port with its vessel Nicolas Delmas, which was operated with success at the port on Monday.
The carrier added, “With immediate effect, all CMA CGM lines will resume their calls at Beirut port according to their normal schedules, and our intermodal services will be fully ensured in the country thanks to the mobilisation of our local staff and partners.”
The Port of Beirut suffered a massive explosion on 4 August at a warehouse where 2,750tonnes of the explosive ammonium nitrate, confiscated from a detained vessel, was stored. The death toll has now reportedly risen to over 220 people with a further 6,000 injured.
