Shipping Arabia, October 21, 2026 – Lebanon is pursuing formal participation in the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), following the inclusion of Beirut and Tripoli ports in the IMEC Ports Club. Marwan El-Naffi, Chairman and Director General of the Port of Beirut, said the initiative could increase container traffic, boost government revenues, and help transform Lebanon into a regional logistics hub.
In an exclusive interview with CNN Business Arabic, El-Naffi emphasized that joining the IMEC Ports Club represents an important step toward closer international cooperation. However, he clarified that membership does not constitute Lebanon’s formal accession to the economic corridor.
The initiative aims to connect India with Europe through maritime and railway networks crossing the Gulf and the Middle East. Lebanon was not included in the corridor’s original route when the project was announced in 2023.
El-Naffi also revealed that a ministerial meeting involving IMEC’s eight founding parties is expected in Riyadh. Meanwhile, Lebanese authorities continue diplomatic efforts to secure a role in the project.
Beirut and Tripoli Join IMEC Ports Club
The ports of Beirut and Tripoli signed the joint declaration launching the IMEC Ports Club on October 6, 2026, during meetings in New Delhi, India.
The initiative was led by France’s Marseille Fos Port and India’s Adani Ports Group. It seeks to strengthen cooperation among participating ports and develop joint projects that facilitate cargo movements between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
The club’s objectives include coordinating operational procedures, exchanging information, and establishing common standards to improve connectivity between member ports. These measures aim to streamline cargo transfers, reduce transportation times, and lower logistics costs.
According to El-Naffi, the first operational discussions began shortly after the declaration was signed. Beirut Port initiated contacts with an Italian member port to explore opportunities for closer operational coordination and cargo facilitation.
The New Delhi meetings also addressed proposals for common operating standards across participating ports. Such arrangements could improve the movement of goods between different maritime gateways and support more efficient logistics networks.
Nevertheless, El-Naffi stressed that Lebanon’s membership in the club does not guarantee the establishment of an IMEC trade route through Lebanese territory. Nor does it make Lebanon a formal participant in the corridor’s intergovernmental arrangements.
Lebanon Pursues Formal Participation in IMEC
IMEC was announced during the G20 summit in India in 2023 through a memorandum of understanding signed by eight parties: India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, and the European Union.
Lebanon was neither a signatory to the original agreement nor part of the corridor’s initial proposed route. Consequently, its current efforts focus on establishing a potential role within the developing transport and logistics network.
El-Naffi disclosed that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had discussed Lebanon’s possible participation with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Following these discussions, Macron dispatched Gérard Mestrallet, France’s special envoy for IMEC, to Beirut in February 2026.
During the visit, Lebanese officials examined opportunities for joining the corridor and assessed the potential economic benefits of involving Beirut and Tripoli ports. At the time, the broader project remained in its planning and feasibility assessment stages.
Further cooperation followed in July 2026, when Beirut Port renewed its cooperation agreement with Marseille Fos Port.
These diplomatic and commercial initiatives preceded the October declaration establishing the IMEC Ports Club in New Delhi.
Together, the developments reflect Lebanon’s efforts to move beyond conventional maritime operations and establish stronger connections with international trade networks.
However, formal participation remains subject to further discussions and arrangements among the relevant parties.
CMA CGM Invests $100 Million in Beirut Container Terminal
Lebanon’s efforts to strengthen its maritime connectivity coincide with investments aimed at improving Beirut Port’s infrastructure and cargo handling capabilities.
In September 2026, French shipping group CMA CGM announced a $100 million expansion project for the port’s container terminal.
<text>The project aims to increase annual container handling capacity from 1.2 million TEUs to 2.8 million TEUs, while modernizing terminal equipment and operational areas. The anticipated implementation period is approximately 18 months.</text>
The planned capacity expansion could strengthen Beirut Port’s ability to accommodate additional cargo volumes if Lebanon succeeds in attracting new shipping services and trade flows.
Nevertheless, infrastructure improvements alone will not determine the economic benefits of potential IMEC participation. Lebanon must also develop inland transport links and strengthen connections with neighboring markets.
El-Naffi expects the corridor to create opportunities for substantial growth in container traffic and government revenues. However, he did not provide numerical projections or a timetable for achieving those gains.
He also outlined a broader economic vision extending beyond traditional port operations.
According to El-Naffi, Lebanon could develop additional activities in transport, warehousing, distribution, and integrated logistics services. He cited Rotterdam and Antwerp as examples of major ports that have supported the development of extensive economic ecosystems beyond maritime cargo handling.
Such a transformation could diversify Lebanon’s economic activities and strengthen the contribution of logistics services to national revenues.
Lebanese and Syrian Ports Could Form an Integrated Logistics Network
El-Naffi also addressed the growing competition among Eastern Mediterranean ports for shipping services, cargo volumes, and infrastructure investment.
Rather than viewing neighboring ports exclusively as competitors, he proposed greater integration between Lebanese and Syrian maritime gateways.
He identified Beirut, Tripoli, Latakia, and Tartus as four ports that could work together to establish a stronger regional logistics network.
In response to a question about competition with neighboring ports, including those in Syria and Israel, El-Naffi argued that the Lebanese and Syrian ports should be considered complementary rather than competing facilities.
He believes closer coordination could strengthen their collective position in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly as international trade increasingly requires alternative transport routes.
His comments come as Syrian ports pursue infrastructure modernization projects.
Among the major developments is an $800 million investment program by DP World to modernize Tartus Port under a 30-year concession agreement.
The company has begun modernization activities and the introduction of new equipment to improve cargo handling capacity and strengthen the port’s role in regional trade.
These investments add a new dimension to the relationship between Lebanese and Syrian ports, given their geographical proximity and interest in serving overlapping regional markets.
El-Naffi’s proposal seeks to position their combined infrastructure and logistics capabilities as part of a wider regional transport network.
IMEC and the Growing Importance of Alternative Trade Routes
El-Naffi linked the strategic importance of IMEC to disruptions affecting global supply chains in recent years.
He cited conflicts and interruptions along major shipping corridors as examples of the vulnerabilities associated with relying heavily on limited transport routes.
In particular, he referred to the grounding of a vessel in the Suez Canal in 2021, which interrupted maritime traffic for several days.
The incident demonstrated how disruptions along a major trade corridor can affect shipping costs, commodity prices, and the movement of goods between international markets.
Against this background, El-Naffi argued that IMEC should not be viewed solely as a fixed logistics corridor.
Instead, he described it as an evolving approach based on multiple transport routes and more flexible connections between maritime ports and regional trade networks.
This interpretation could create opportunities for additional ports to contribute to international cargo movements, even if they were not included in IMEC’s original proposed route.
For Lebanon, however, realizing these opportunities would require more than membership in a port cooperation initiative.
The country would need to attract actual cargo flows, expand shipping connectivity, strengthen inland transport infrastructure, and navigate regional political and logistical challenges.
The combination of diplomatic engagement, operational cooperation with European ports, and investment in Beirut’s container terminal provides several potential avenues for expanding Lebanon’s role in regional trade.
Ultimately, the economic impact of Lebanon’s IMEC ambitions will depend on whether these initiatives translate into new shipping services, sustained cargo volumes, and investment in the country’s logistics sector.
Source: CNN Business Arabic