Beirut explosion – Maersk Lebanon update

We would like to give you an update on the tragic incident in Beirut, Lebanon, where a powerful explosion destroyed large parts of the city, leaving over 100 people killed and almost 4000 people injured.

We can confirm that our office in Lebanon has been seriously damaged and the extent of the damage is still being assessed. At the time of blast, three of our colleagues were present in the office and were lightly injured in the Lebanese capital Beirut and have been subsequently taken to hospital for medical check-up and treatment. Their condition is good and we are closely monitoring their recovery.

At the time of the blast there was no Maersk vessel at the port of Beirut, which seems to be where the explosion originated from, however Maersk containers were present in the port and we are doing our utmost to assess the scale of potential damage and the impact to any equipment and cargo of our valued customers.

We are determined to find the best possible alternative solution for our operations, while the port in Beirut remains closed, which we expect to last for the next few weeks. We are currently working on a solution with the port in Tripoli to enable the calls of our vessels there and will be communicating the details as soon as they are known.

We aim to individually contact all our customers whose cargo could have been directly impacted being at the port at the time of explosion and also provide further communication on inbound vessels destined for Beirut and this will be happening over the coming days.

The safety of our staff and their well-being remains our top priority and we are doing our utmost to support our colleagues, who have been impacted by the explosion and subsequent damages. We appreciate your understanding during these difficult times. Nevertheless, we do remain fully operational and ready to serve the needs of our customers. Our customer-facing staff is available via usual channels, such as email and live chat. Should you not be able to reach them that way, please take note of the alternative emergency numbers below.

Lebanon Local Emergency Phone Numbers (mobile)
+961 70 607 207
+961 81 798 079

Maersk Egypt (as a backup if above numbers are not reachable)
0020224801010

Once again, we would like to thank you for your understanding and for your continuous support.