Beirut port director announces series of development projects

BEIRUT — Beirut Port Director Marwan al-Nafi announced Friday the launch of a series of development projects at the port, in partnership with the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR).

As part of this effort, Nafi signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at establishing a legal and administrative framework for cooperation between the port authority and the CDR, represented by its president, Mohammad Kabbani.

The agreed projects include the creation of a logistics line linking Beirut port to the Lebanese-Syrian border via the Bekaa Valley, and the construction of a dry port in the Bekaa to strengthen logistics integration.

The port’s existing entry and exit points will be redesigned, and a fourth entry, called gate 16, will be created to improve traffic flow. These projects aim to boost integration between the city and the port, according to Nafi.

Work related to the grain silos will also begin, in coordination among the CDR, port management, and the Economy Ministry. Additionally, a study will be conducted on the use of the Bourj Hammoud area and its surroundings as part of the port expansion plan, under the joint supervision of teams from the CDR and the port.

Nafi also announced that starting March 2, the port’s opening hours will be extended. From that date, the port will open every day from midnight until 5 p.m. He emphasized that this measure will facilitate the entry and exit of trucks and, consequently, the movement of goods to and from the Port of Beirut, which will have a positive impact on the national economy.

The director praised the close cooperation with competent security services, stressing that the implementation of this decision would not have been possible without coordination with the Higher Council for Customs and the director general of customs. He also acknowledged the support from the army intelligence directorate at the port, as well as General Security and State Security.

“The CDR is called upon to play an important role in reconstruction, as well as in the planning and implementation of public investment projects, and the Port of Beirut is set to become a strategic center for maritime transport in the region and a driver of Lebanon’s economic development,” Kabbani commented.

The Port of Beirut appointed a new director, Nafi, at the end of 2025. He succeeded Omar Itani, who had held the post since 2021, a year after the twin explosions on Aug. 4, 2020, devastated the port and part of the capital, killing more than 220 people.

The French group CMA CGM has managed the container terminals since 2022. Nearly 100,000 standard containers (TEUs) passed through the Port of Beirut in July 2025, a record since 2019 — the last year the port operated at full capacity before the economic crisis and then the tragedy of Aug. 4 affected its operations.