As the frozen investigations into the Beirut Port explosion continue, its reconstruction process is marked by noticeable hesitancy despite intermittent discussions.
This article was originally published in and translated from the Arab outlet of Asharq Al-Awsat.
The agreement with the World Bank to secure funding for consultancy firms tasked with preparing terms of reference for a global tender aimed at overseeing reconstruction has not progressed as anticipated. This development comes on the eve of the third anniversary of the explosion.
Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the World Bank has presented a guiding plan outlining the expected role of Beirut Port and imposes its conditions on it.
The plan revolves around transforming the port's western part, including the naval base's vicinity, into a residential and tourist area.
Notably, this area includes space for logistical services, leased by the French company "TotalEnergies," responsible for drilling and gas exploration in Lebanese blocks 4 and 9, near the southern border.
Director General of the Beirut Port, Omar Itani, told Asharq Al-Awsat, "Preparations for a guiding plan are ongoing in collaboration with the World Bank.
"These steps, as known, must be completed by preparing terms of reference. Beirut Port has provided feedback on the guiding plan, and the port is working to prepare terms of reference in cooperation with experienced international experts in this field."
Lebanese Shipping Agents Syndicate President Marwan El Yaman explains that the port's reconstruction is divided into two phases.
The first includes the area designated for general cargo, cars, logistics, and storage.
The second phase is linked to the grain silos building that was destroyed, noting that Kuwait has expressed readiness to fund the reconstruction, having initially financed its construction in 1969 through a loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. To this end, it demanded utilizing funds currently held in Lebanese banks, rendering the release of the required amount improbable.
The estimated cost is around 30 million dollars. The grain silos fall under the "jurisdiction of the economy."
As for the container terminal, a crucial element in the port's operations has been leased and managed by the French company CMA CGM, according to El Yaman.
The announcement of this tender has raised questions, as it appears that the company owned by Lebanese businessman Rodolphe Saadé was the sole applicant.
Some have linked the hesitancy of other international companies to enter this competition and invest in a volatile Lebanese environment.
Perhaps there are those waiting for drilling and gas exploration results in Block 9 in southern Lebanon, which are supposed to appear later this year to encourage and pump employment in a country promised with oil wealth.
The World Bank has entered the scene of port reconstruction through an international consulting company that collected information and submitted a report following discussions with all port stakeholders, including management, economic bodies, chambers of commerce, maritime agents, and municipalities.
Some have raised concerns about the new guiding plan, which overlooks the historical role of the port, emphasizing the maritime agents' importance in maintaining its position in international maritime transit.
This is especially relevant as neighboring countries are working on rail lines connecting their ports to the Gulf.
Among the various interested players, including Germany, Russia, China, and Turkey, France remains a prominent player due to President Emmanuel Macron's keen interest in the Lebanese political and economic situation.
This interest has been translated into a cooperation agreement signed on June 8, 2022, between Beirut Port and Marseille Port. The deal seeks to benefit from French technical expertise in maritime transport and port development.
Experts from the French company "Expertise France" worked on the port file as part of the assistance provided by France, where reconstruction requirements were identified and solutions were proposed.
Recently, Beirut Port announced its readiness to accommodate all drilling activities in Block 9.
Caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamie has previously pointed out that the reconstruction of the port will not be held hostage to loan requests that may not come or come under various pretexts and political contradictions. Still instead, it will be reconstructed after the process of activating it and increasing its revenues has been completed.
He believed that the time it took to prepare this plan was to keep pace with the development of the global port sector. Among the most significant reforms is the introduction of a project that notes the new legal framework for the port sector in Lebanon, which attracts investment from the private sector while preserving state ownership of its assets.