$100 Million: Foundation Stone Laid for Expansion of Beirut Port Container Terminal

The Beirut Port Authority Management and Investment laid the foundation stone for the container terminal expansion project, with the presence of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Ministers of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rassamani, Economy and Trade Ammar Al-Bassat, Finance Yaseen Jabber, Interior and Municipalities Ahmad al-Hajj, and Defense Michel Moawad, Chairman of the Board and General Manager of Beirut Port Marwan al-Naffi, Chairman of the Board and CEO of CMA CGM Group Rodolfo Saade, and a large gathering of political, diplomatic, and security figures.

During the ceremony, the foundation stone was unveiled and ships sounded their horns to mark the start of expansion works.

The project aims to increase the yard area from 45 to nearly 75 hectares and boost capacity from 1.2 million to 3 million standard containers, with construction expected to be completed within 16 to 18 months. The $100 million investment by CMA CGM will fund comprehensive expansion and infrastructure upgrades, enhancing port operations, commercial activity, and its contribution to state revenues.

Prime Minister Mikati emphasized during the ceremony that "our ambition is to restore the port’s role in transit and re-export activities and re-establish it as a leading logistics hub in the Eastern Mediterranean, serving Lebanon and neighboring Arab countries, leveraging the reshaping of global supply chains and regional trade growth."

He said: "It pleases me to meet you today at Beirut Port on the occasion of the container terminal expansion, which reflects a clear national will: to revive this port, restore its role, and renew confidence in Beirut and Lebanon. We are not just opening an additional expansion today; we are opening a new window for Lebanon onto the world and taking a practical step along a long path aimed at restoring Beirut Port’s rightful place among the foremost ports of the Eastern Mediterranean and one of the key pillars of the Lebanese economy."

He added: "Beirut Port has never been merely docks, warehouses, and cranes. It has always been an essential part of the city’s history and identity, a fundamental element in its economic, social, and cultural formation. Since Beirut was a small coastal city, its port connected it to the world—through merchants, travelers, goods, and ideas. As the city grew in the 19th century, the port’s role expanded, transforming Beirut into a major trading hub between the Arab interior and Europe, and a gateway to Damascus and the broader Levant and Iraq."

He continued: "From this port, regional products were exported, and new goods and technologies arrived. Thanks to it, Beirut strengthened its status as a center for trade, banking, education, journalism, and printing. Wherever ships docked, interests converged and ideas exchanged; where commerce thrived, the economy grew, the city flourished, and modern institutions took shape. Thanks to its strategic geographic location and decades of accumulated human expertise and extensive networks, the port served for decades as a vital link between East and West, between sea and inland, between the Lebanese economy and regional and international markets. Even during Lebanon’s most difficult periods, the port stood as a testament to Beirut’s resilience and ability to rise from crisis."

He stated: "The expansion of the container terminal we celebrate today holds special significance because it increases the port’s capacity, improves container handling speed, reduces ship waiting times, and enhances service efficiency—strengthening the port’s competitiveness and its ability to attract shipping lines and transshipment trade. However, competition among Eastern Mediterranean ports is no longer based solely on geography, however advantageous it may be. Geography offers opportunity, but does not guarantee success. Today’s success is built on sound management, swift administrative processes, transparency, adoption of modern technology, and the availability of robust infrastructure and transport networks connecting the port to its surroundings. Therefore, we must not view the container terminal expansion as an isolated construction project, but rather as part of a comprehensive vision for the future of Beirut Port."

He stressed: "We want a modern port, operated according to the highest professional and international standards, governed by clear rules defining responsibilities, preventing conflicts of interest, and curbing waste. We want a digital port, where transactions are processed quickly and efficiently, reducing costs, minimizing corruption and favoritism, and creating a climate of trust for importers and exporters alike. We want a safe port, where safety, security, storage, and monitoring protocols are strictly enforced under rigorous standards and under oversight by competent state authorities. Can we forget that this place bears a deep national wound? On August 4, 2020, not only did part of Beirut Port explode, but the entire city was struck—victims fell, homes and institutions were destroyed, and the sense of security among Lebanese citizens was shaken. As we develop the port, we cannot separate the necessary expansion from the pursuit of justice, nor can we modernize facilities without fulfilling our duty of accountability. The memory of the victims remains a national and moral obligation, and respecting it compels us to manage our port wisely so that tragedies of negligence, chaos, and lack of responsibility do not recur."

He continued: "Our ambition is to restore the port’s role in transit and re-export, and re-establish it as a leading logistics hub in the Eastern Mediterranean, serving Lebanon and neighboring Arab nations, capitalizing on the restructuring of supply chains and regional trade development. But reclaiming this role requires more than expanding quays and terminals. It demands improving road access to the port, addressing congestion at its entry points, seriously advancing plans for railway and tunnel networks, and establishing dry ports linking Beirut Port to Lebanon’s interior and surrounding regions. That is why we have already begun preparing a study on connecting the port to the Bekaa Valley via a tunnel and railway line. A port disconnected from its hinterland loses much of its strategic value; a port integrated into a comprehensive transport network becomes a regional platform for growth and investment. Likewise, we must improve planning to achieve integration between Beirut Port and other Lebanese ports—particularly Tripoli, Jounieh, and Sidon—under a unified national maritime transport policy."

He noted that "the development of Beirut Port is inseparable from the broader project of rebuilding the state. Public infrastructure fails if it remains trapped in opaque management, exceptions in implementation, or interference in operations," adding that "trust from shipping companies, investors, and exporters is not restored through promises and slogans, but through stable rules, an independent judiciary, effective administration, and tangible proof that Lebanon can manage its public assets with efficiency and responsibility—through cooperation between the public and private sectors."

He said: "We want this project to create new job opportunities and open wide avenues for Lebanese youth in maritime transport, logistics, technology, and supply chain management. The future of the port is not built solely by modern cranes or new spaces, but also by developing Lebanese expertise and investing in training and education."

He clarified: "Our vision for Beirut Port is the same as our vision for the Lebanon we want: a modern, active state; a Lebanon of law and institutions; a Lebanon of openness and productivity; a Lebanon regaining the trust of its people and the world."

He concluded: "Thus, restoring Beirut Port to its rightful place is not nostalgia for a prosperous past, but an investment in the future. The past inspires us, but does not exempt us from keeping pace with contemporary realities. Location provides potential, but does not relieve us of the need to reform and develop our institutions. May Beirut Port remain Lebanon’s gateway to its Arab region, and may Beirut remain a city of freedom and openness. Live, and long live Lebanon."

Minister Rassamani spoke and explained: "Today we are not laying the foundation stone for a container terminal expansion alone—we are placing a new cornerstone in a larger project: strengthening Beirut Port’s position as a strategic port in the Eastern Mediterranean and restoring Lebanon’s role on the regional transport and trade map. Investment in Lebanon today is not merely a business decision—it is also a vote of confidence. When such confidence comes from a global giant like CMA CGM, which knows Lebanon well and understands its potential, it carries an extra meaning for us."

He said: "Since we assumed office, supported by President General Joseph Aoun and your leadership, we have had a clear choice: not to treat Lebanon’s ports as daily operational tasks, but as strategic assets through which we reclaim Lebanon’s economic role and regional standing. From this perspective, our vision at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport has been comprehensive and far-reaching: we cannot view Beirut Port in isolation from other ports, nor can we consider ports apart from airports, roads, railways, and land crossings. We are building an integrated transport system, aiming to transform Lebanon’s position on the Mediterranean into a real economic asset. Today’s project translates part of this vision into reality on the ground."

He pointed out that "we are facing a major expansion of the container terminal, increasing its area from around 45 to 80 hectares and its capacity to 3 million containers. These are not mere technical details—they are concrete steps moving our vision for the port from planning to execution. I previously said from this spot that our ambition is for Beirut Port to regain its place among the world’s leading ports, operating efficiently 24/7, seven days a week, under the highest safety and security standards."

He recalled: "On August 4 last year, I said our mission goes beyond addressing the consequences of the past—it demands tackling the root causes of failure and building a system that prevents recurrence. Today, we move from diagnosing the problem to constructing the solution. But our ambitions extend beyond Beirut Port. Our collaboration with CMA CGM transcends managing a container terminal or a single investment."

He affirmed: "We are working with one of the world’s largest transport and logistics groups, with vast experience, capabilities, and global networks, and deep knowledge of Lebanon and the region. Thus, our question is not only: What can we develop within Beirut Port? But what can we build together, starting from Lebanon?" He stressed that "our opportunity lies in creating an integrated vision linking ports to transport networks and regional corridors, transforming them into a single interconnected system serving Lebanon’s position and role in the region. Therefore, we leave no door unexplored that could enhance Lebanon’s position: from rail connectivity with Syria and reviving the Hejaz railway line, to securing Lebanon’s role in the IMEC economic corridor and other regional and international connectivity projects."

He continued: "We have the location, ports, and capabilities. We have a private sector with proven expertise. Our responsibility is to turn these strengths into real projects, investments, and opportunities for Lebanon. Mr. Rodolfo Saade knows Lebanon and the region well, and his connection to this land is not purely commercial—it also carries personal, emotional, and deeply held belief in what Lebanon can offer."

He noted: "Lebanon has proven, even in the toughest conditions, that investment here can succeed and deliver high returns when the right vision, proper management, and the right partner are in place."

He added: "I must also express my gratitude to the Beirut Port Authority management, Mr. Marwan al-Naffi, all members of the board, all port workers, and everyone contributing to this project." He concluded: "Today we expand a container terminal, but what we are truly expanding is Lebanon’s role in regional and global trade and transportation."

In his turn, al-Naffi affirmed: "Laying the foundation stone for the third and largest phase in the container terminal’s history marks a pivotal step in the port’s future," emphasizing that the expansion "establishes a new era in which the port regains its capacity for growth, competitiveness, and service to Lebanon and the region." He noted that "the new expansion will increase the terminal’s area from 45 to approximately 75 hectares and its annual capacity from 1.3 million to 3 million standard containers by 2028, positioning the terminal among the largest in the Mediterranean and reinforcing Beirut Port’s status as a key regional logistics hub."

Al-Naffi referred to August 4, affirming: "That disaster did not end the port’s role. Standing here today to lay the foundation stone for expansion is proof that the port is rising again and looking toward the future."

He highlighted "the rapid transformations underway in global trade routes and logistics corridors," stating that "Beirut Port cannot remain on the sidelines of this evolving landscape but must return to the heart of east-west trade." He revealed that 2028 "holds special significance, as it will witness both the completion of the expansion and Beirut hosting the General Assembly of Mediterranean Ports, returning Beirut as a meeting point for Mediterranean ports."

He added: "The launch of the expansion coincides with ongoing rehabilitation and restructuring efforts led by the port authority, including rebuilding trust, raising safety and security standards, modernizing management and services, and upgrading infrastructure." He noted that "in the past ten months, the authority has worked on these issues without waiting for the full completion of the rehabilitation program to begin future projects, because our ambitions go beyond the port itself—to drive the Lebanese economy, serve as an investment platform, generate jobs, and act as Lebanon’s gateway to the region and the world."

Al-Naffi concluded by thanking President General Joseph Aoun, the Prime Minister, Ministers of Public Works, Finance, and Economy, members of the board, port staff and workers, unions, agents, partners, and all members of the port community. He also thanked Rodolfo Saade, praising "his belief in the project and in Beirut Port’s ability to reclaim its role," and appreciating "his partnership and support for this milestone."

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Board and CEO of CMA CGM Group stated: "I feel pride and joy to be here today at Beirut Port, launching the expansion of the container terminal. When we won the contract to operate and manage the terminal in 2022, Beirut Port was emerging from a period of extreme difficulty, on the brink of closure. Thus, our choice was clear, driven by our belief in Lebanon and in the container terminal. With a bold vision, we managed to strengthen the terminal’s capabilities and equip it with the necessary tools for growth, enabling it to gradually reclaim its natural role. We invested, upgraded equipment, and deployed our teams and expertise."

He added: "After four years, we have made significant progress—the terminal has seen substantial growth, and performance has improved markedly. Today, we are approaching the maximum capacity of the terminal. While this is positive for us, we aim to achieve even more."

He continued: "We are here today because we believe the container terminal must become a dynamic regional hub in the ever-evolving global trade landscape. Supply chains are undergoing transformation. New logistics corridors are emerging. Around the world, especially in the Mediterranean and Middle East, major ports are investing heavily. In this new trade map, Lebanon must fully reclaim its position, and the container terminal must be the engine of this ambition. Its location at the heart of the Eastern Mediterranean, its historical openness to the world, its commercial experience, human capital, and extensive regional networks make it naturally a crossroads for exchange."

He added: "As a global leader in transport and logistics, we will dedicate all our resources to achieving this ambition. Thus, we will invest $100 million, which will help:

- Reduce congestion by increasing capacity, building a new quay, and providing mobile cranes and new storage areas.

- Enhance reliability and safety through a new automated gate and a new customs inspection zone equipped with two automated scanners.

- Preserve environmental sustainability by adopting new-generation hybrid, energy-efficient handling equipment."

He continued: "In this context, I extend my thanks to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Public Works and Transport, the Chairman of the Board and General Manager of Beirut Port, and all teams and stakeholders who made this new phase possible. This investment reflects our long-term commitment not only to this terminal but also to Lebanon—a country dear to our hearts, where our group grew and invested, currently employing 4,000 people."

He said: "We remained present during hard times. Today, with a new momentum, we will be, as always, on time. Therefore, we aspire to:

- Contribute to Lebanon’s economic development and job creation through our maritime, port, and logistics activities.

- Preserve and ensure the continuity of its rich legacy through prominent companies such as Al-Rafai and Souché, and since Fataal month.

- Make Lebanon a center of technological excellence serving youth. Tomorrow, I will visit the American University of Beirut to sign an agreement establishing an AI institute.

- Continue supporting the most vulnerable groups through our foundation led by my sister Tania Saade-Zaini."

He emphasized: "The foundation stone we lay today is far more than just a stone for terminal expansion. It symbolizes a terminal moving forward, Lebanon reclaiming its ambitions, and our deep, unwavering faith in the future of this country."