Figures released by the Port of Beirut show that the aggregate volume of imports by the top five shipping companies and freight forwarders through the port totaled 76,819 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first quarter 2026, constituting a rise of 25.6% from 61,149 TEUs in the same period last year. The five shipping and freight forwarding firms accounted for 96.4% of imports to the Lebanese market in the covered period.  Merit Shipping handled 30,871 TEUs in the first quarter 2026, equivalent to 38.7% of the total import freight market to Lebanon.  Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) followed with 23,987 TEUs (30%), then Sealine Group with 17,810 TEUs (22.4%), Gezairi Transport with 2,934 TEUs (3.7%), and El Fil Shipping with 1,217 TEUs (1.5%). MSC registered a rise of 39.2% in imports in the first quarter 2026, the highest growth rate among the covered companies, while El Fil Shipping posted a drop of 29.7%, the steepest decrease among the five firms year-on-year in the first quarter 2026. Also, the import shipping operations of the top five firms through the port increased by 19.6% in March 2026 from the preceding month and by 11.5% from March 2025.  In parallel, the aggregate volume of exports by the top five shipping and freight forwarding firms through the Port of Beirut reached 14,770 TEUs in the first quarter 2026, constituting a decrease of 2% from 15,079 TEUs in the same period last year. The five companies accounted for 98.7% of exported Lebanese cargo in the first quarter of 2026.  Merit Shipping handled 7,065 TEUs of freight in the first quarter 2026, equivalent to 47.2% of the Lebanese cargo export market.  Sealine Group followed with 4,660 TEUs (31%), then MSC with 2,113 TEUs (14%), Gezairi Transport with 521 TEUs (3.5%), and El Fil Shipping with 411 TEUs (2.7%). Sealine Group posted a surge of 27% in exports in the first quarter 2026, the highest growth rate among the covered companies, while Gezairi Transport registered a decrease of 39%, the steepest decline among the five firms year-on-year in the first quarter 2026. The export-shipping operations of the top five companies regressed by 0.7% in March 2026 from the previous month and by 1.2% from March 2025. (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: Byblos Bank, LTW, 27 July - 8 Aug. 2026