Hapag-Lloyd offices completely destroyed in Beirut

German carrier Hapag-Lloyd has stated that its offices in Beirut have been completely destroyed following the explosion at the Port of Beirut.

The company said that luckily all Hapag-Lloyd staff and representatives are safe.

There were no Hapag-Lloyd vessels present in the port on 4 August at the time of the explosion, but containers, both laden and empty, most probably have been affected by the blast, the company said.

Currently, the cause of the explosion and the extent of the damage are still under investigation. Meanwhile the Port of Beirut has put all operations on hold and access to the area is not permitted.

Services to be diverted

The vessel Fleur N (Voyage 2030W) in Hapag-Lloyd’s Levante Express (LEX) Service, will cancel the Beirut call, previously scheduled for 7 August. The Beirut import cargo loaded on board of Fleur N will be discharged at Damietta, Egypt.

On the carrier’s other service calling Beirut, East Med Express (EME), vessel APL Norway (Voyage 030S/032N) will also omit Beirut call planned for 7 August and will instead divert to Tripoli, Lebanon, to discharge the Beirut cargo.

The company said it kindly asks for patience while it is assessing the situation in efforts to provide a solution for the affected cargo.

As a precautionary measure, Hapag-Lloyd is temporarily not accepting any cargo to and from Beirut.

The company statement said: “As soon as there are new developments, we will share them with you and reopen booking accordingly. We apologize for any inconveniences, which have occurred or will occur in the future due to this terrible accident.

“At this moment our hearts and thoughts go out to the people of Beirut – especially to all those who have lost family members and friends.”

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