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 103,012 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first four months 2026, constituting a rise of 18.8% from 86,737 TEUs in the same period last year. The five shipping and freight forwarding firms accounted for 96.8% of imports to the Lebanese market in the covered period. Merit Shipping handled 40,536 TEUs in the first four months 2026, equivalent to 38% of the total import freight market to Lebanon. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) followed with 32,870 TEUs (31%), then Sealine Group with 23,631 TEUs (22.2%), Gezairi Transport with 4,428 TEUs (4.2 %), and El Fil Shipping with 1,547 TEUs (1.5%). MSC registered a rise of 31.7% in imports in the first four months 2026, the highest growth rate among the covered companies, while El Fil Shipping posted a drop of 46.8%, the steepest decrease among the five firms year-on-year in the first four months 2026. Also, the import shipping operations of the top five firms through the port decreased by 5.3% in April 2026 from the preceding month and increased by 1% from April 2025.  In parallel, the aggregate volume of exports by the top five shipping and freight forwarding firms through the Port of Beirut reached 19,833 TEUs in the first four months 2026, constituting a decrease of 1.4% from 20,119 TEUs in the same period last year. The five companies accounted for 99% of exported Lebanese cargo in the first four months of 2026. Merit Shipping handled 9,261 TEUs of freight in the first four months 2026, equivalent to 46.2% of the Lebanese cargo export market. Sealine Group followed with 6,044 TEUs (30.2%), then MSC with 3,308 TEUs (16.5%), Gezairi Transport with 780 TEUs (3.9%), and El Fil Shipping with 440 TEUs (2.2%). Sealine Group posted a surge of 25.5% in exports in the first four months 2026, the highest growth rate among the covered companies, while El Fil Shipping registered a decrease of 33%, the steepest decline among the five firms year-on-year in the first four months 2026. The export-shipping operations of the top five companies increased by 1.4% in April2026 from the previous month and by 0.5% from April 2025. (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: Byblos Bank, LTW, 17-22 August 2026