A number of the world’s major shipping lines are diverting their container ships to Lebanon’s alternate port of Tripoli to meet the immediate needs of the population that is entirely dependent on imports to meet all of their day-to-day needs.
According to ship insurer Gard, whose local offices were slightly damaged, the port of Beirut is going to be closed for a minimum period of 14 days which could be extended until port facilities have been restored.
Meanwhile, Beirut offices of Hapag Lloyd were completely destroyed though no one in the staff was harmed. Maersk’s Beirut office was also damaged and three of its staff slightly hurt. Both shipping lines are still in the process of assessing damage to their containers at Beirut port.
Beirut’s container port has an annual capacity of just over 1 million TEU while the port of Tripoli which is 70 kms up the Mediteranean coast has a capacity of about 400,000 TEU. This capacity could be ramped up to 750,000 with the addition of cranes.
Confirmed death toll from the port explosion has reached 145 so far.
