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 126,898 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first five months 2026, constituting an increase of 7.5% from 118,079 TEUs in the same period last year. The five shipping and freight forwarding firms accounted for 97% of imports to the Lebanese market in the covered period.  Merit Shipping handled 50,499 TEUs in the first five months 2026, equivalent to 38.6% of the total import freight market to Lebanon. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) followed with 40,915 TEUs (31.3%), then Sealine Group with 28,687 TEUs (22%), Gezairi Transport with 4,945 TEUs (3.8%), and El Fil Shipping with 1,852 TEUs (1.4%). MSC registered a rise of 19.5% in imports in the first five months 2026, the highest growth rate among the covered companies, while El Fil Shipping posted a drop of 44%, the steepest decrease among the five firms year-on-year in the first five months 2026. Also, the import shipping operations of the top five firms through the port decreased by 8.6% in May 2026 from the preceding month and by 23.6% from May 2025.  In parallel, the aggregate volume of exports by the top five shipping and freight forwarding firms through the Port of Beirut reached 25,475 TEUs in the first five months 2026, constituting a decrease of 3.2% from 26,328 TEUs in the same period last year. The five companies accounted for 99% of exported Lebanese cargo in the first five months of 2026.  Merit Shipping handled 12,131 TEUs of freight in the first five months 2026, equivalent to 47% of the Lebanese cargo export market. Sealine Group followed with 7,352 TEUs (28.5%), then MSC with 4,580 TEUs (17.8%), Gezairi Transport with 920 TEUs (3.6%), and El Fil Shipping with 492 TEUs (2%). MSC posted a surge of 19.2% in exports in the first five months 2026, the highest growth rate among the covered companies, while Gezairi Transport registered a decrease of 40.5%, the steepest decline among the five firms year-on-year in the first five months 2026. The export-shipping operations of the top five companies increased by 11.5% in May 2026 from the previous month and decreased by 9% from May 2025. (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: Byblos Bank, LTW, 14-19 September 2026