Beirut: The Media Office of Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rasamny, announced in a statement on Wednesday that the Cabinet has approved a major initiative to install and operate advanced container scanning systems at the ports of Beirut and Tripoli.

According to National News Agency – Lebanon, the decision, proposed and actively followed up by Minister Rasamny, marks a significant step toward enhancing security, combating smuggling, and strengthening customs oversight, ushering in greater transparency and efficiency in Lebanon’s import-export operations.

The statement highlighted that the implementation of these scanners was critical amid Lebanon’s ongoing security and economic challenges. The new systems are expected to bolster port security, increase state revenues, restore global trust in the ports, and reinforce their strategic role as key hubs in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly for exports to Arab countries.

These smart electronic systems will enable real-time surveillance, curb customs evasion, prevent the entry of explosives and hazardous materials, and directly contribute to public safety and revenue growth. The scanners will also improve data accuracy and tax collection for the Ministry of Finance, while elevating both ports’ classification under IMO and ISPS standards.

The statement added that CMA Beirut Terminal SAL and CMA Tripoli SAL have expressed immediate readiness to supply, operate, and maintain Smith Detection or Rapiscan scanners under existing contractual frameworks, at no cost to the Lebanese state. Costs will be covered by additional inspection fee revenues.

This move, the ministry emphasized, reflects Lebanon’s firm commitment to international maritime security protocols and marks a turning point in modernizing critical infrastructure.