'We hope the siege will be lifted by Israel within a few days,' said a senior airport official on 25 August. 'At present only Middle East Airlines (MEA) and Royal Jordanian are permitted to take off and land at the airport this is in accordance with regulations from the Transport Ministry. We aim to complete repairs to the runways and one fuel tank, which was damaged by fire, soon.' The first MEA flight from Amman landed in Beirut on 17 August.

Athens-based Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCC) has started repairs of the two runways and three fuel tanks, damaged by Israeli air strikes in late July.

The work, which has been donated by the company to Beirut, is expected to take three months to complete, with project costs estimated at $5 million-10 million. Beirut-based Dar al-Handasah (Shair & Partners) is the consultant.

The blockade of the port looks set to continue, according to the Beirut Port Authority (BPA).

'We have no idea when the blockade will be lifted,' says Hassan Kraitem, general manager at Beirut port. 'We are not allowed to receive any ship [at the port] apart from those carrying humanitarian aid. The effect on our revenues has been dramatic. In June, the port was doing exceptionally well and we received up to 60,000 20-foot equivalent units [TEUs] our highest number ever but since the conflict started in July we havent received a thing.'

Before the Israeli blockade, the BPA was planning an expansion of its container port and related facilities. The authority was also in negotiations with Frances CMA CGM over using Beirut as a transhipment hub.

The port has 16 quays with a total length of 5,500 metres. The IPMB consortium formed by the US International Maritime Associates (IMA) and the UKs Mersey Docks & Harbour Company has the contract to manage and operate the container terminal (MEED 26:8:05).