Beirut Port

3D Model

On 4 August 2020, a large explosion, caused by improperly stored ammonium nitrate, occurred at the port, killing at least 218 people, injuring more than 7,000 and rendering 300,000 others homeless. Large sections of the port and its infrastructure were destroyed, including most of Beirut’s grain reserves, and billions of dollars in damages were inflicted across the city. The Port of Beirut was forced to close, due to the large-scale damage caused by the explosions, with cargo being redirected to smaller ports, such as Tripoli and Tyre. Prior to the disaster, about 60 percent of Lebanon’s imports came through the port, according to an S&P Global estimate. On 14 April 2022, the Lebanese government ordered the demolition of Beirut’s grain silos, which are at risk of collapse after the 2020 port explosion. On 31 July and 4 August 2022, exactly 2 years after the explosion, the northern parts of the existing grain silos fell down.