French shipping company wins Beirut port containers contract

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s minister of public works says a giant French shipping company has won a 10-year contract to run the containers terminal at Beirut’s port that suffered wide damage in a massive blast in 2020. Minister Ali Hamie told reporters in Beirut on Thursday that CMA CGM Group, a world leader in shipping and logistics, met all the conditions to manage, operate and maintain the containers terminal, adding that the deal will bring to state coffers “tens of millions of dollars.” The Aug. 4, 2020, explosion at Beirut’s port killed at least 216 people, according to official records, injured and maimed thousands and devastated entire neighborhoods of the city.