The Beirut Container Terminal, the center of Lebanese maritime trade, located in the Port of Beirut has an illustrious history to live up to. As the motto of the port reads, it is “An Ancient Port for the Future” and the figures for last year certainly live up to it. In 2007, port revenues reached $114 million, up $32 million from the previous year, and custom revenues achieved $736 million, an increase of $118 million. The economic buoyancy of the terminal has clearly not followed that of a seasick Lebanon. This is apparent in the fact that it was in 2005 that the Beirut Container Terminal began its rapid growth. Even the 2006 war could not keep the terminal at bay. Although during the war the port was closed for two months, within 24 hours of re-opening all the major shipping lines were back and queuing three to four
