CMA CGM is set to invest US$100 million in the expansion of the container terminal at the Port of Beirut, according to Lebanese media reports.
The project officially moved forward on 10 September with the laying of the foundation stone at the Lebanese port.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, CMA CGM Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saadé and Port of Beirut Chairman and Director General Marwan Naffi attended the ceremony.
According to L’Orient Today, CMA CGM will provide US$100 million to finance the expansion of the container terminal.
Speaking at the ceremony, Naffi said the development represents the third and largest expansion phase in the terminal’s history.
According to his comments reported by LBCI, the project will increase the terminal area from around 45 hectares to more than 75 hectares.
Capacity is expected to increase from around 1.3 million containers to 3 million by 2028.
The expansion is intended to strengthen Beirut’s role in regional maritime trade, particularly in transit and transshipment traffic.
CMA CGM already operates the Port of Beirut container terminal through its subsidiary CMA Terminals.
The French shipping and logistics group was awarded a 10-year concession in 2022 to manage, operate and maintain the facility.
At the time, CMA CGM announced a US$33 million investment programme covering infrastructure rehabilitation, equipment upgrades and digitalisation.
The latest project would therefore represent a significant new phase in the development of the terminal.
During the foundation-stone ceremony, Saadé reiterated CMA CGM’s commitment to Lebanon and the Port of Beirut, while Lebanese officials highlighted the project as part of efforts to strengthen the port’s position as a regional gateway.
