Read on Twitter
A press conference called "German project for a European revival of the Beirut port and the surrounding area" is ongoing.
Suheil Mahayni of Hamburg port consulting says these are the 4 goals:
A/ build highly efficient port
Suheil Mahayni of Hamburg port consulting says these are the 4 goals:
A/ build highly efficient port
B/ make use of the wealth of this talented nation by creating 10s of thousands of jobs
C/ opening Beirut to the ocean which unfortunately lives to the back to its beautiful sea
D/ provide community oriented social living
E/ attracting finance to rebuild damaged homes
C/ opening Beirut to the ocean which unfortunately lives to the back to its beautiful sea
D/ provide community oriented social living
E/ attracting finance to rebuild damaged homes
and "very importantly establish governance that ensures full transparency so that the money spent and invested is spent to the benefit of the Lebanese people"
Lars Greiner, Hamburg Port Consulting:
"The first conclusion we came to is that the current port has too shallow draft to be successful."
"The biggest challenge we saw is storage area and congestion caused by the storage."
"The first conclusion we came to is that the current port has too shallow draft to be successful."
"The biggest challenge we saw is storage area and congestion caused by the storage."
"The only solution we found which I believe is very good is to look across river at the landfills that has been placed there, these are massive areas of ground".
Idea: create a bridge between the current port and Jdeideh + Burj Hammoud landfills.
Idea: create a bridge between the current port and Jdeideh + Burj Hammoud landfills.
Grenier says that giant silos such as the ones damaged in explosion are not sustainable.
"I know there is an emotional relationship to them but the modern trend is not to store in port".
"I know there is an emotional relationship to them but the modern trend is not to store in port".
Hermann schnell, from Colliers International:
"When we have radical transformation of port it happens there is space left next to city which can be used for the development of real estate in order to create revenues."
"Let's be clear: we do not find Dubai attractive."
"When we have radical transformation of port it happens there is space left next to city which can be used for the development of real estate in order to create revenues."
"Let's be clear: we do not find Dubai attractive."
Schnell : "where do we find the money?"
"Just to sum it up, we’d need about $5 bn private investment to finance more than $1 bn social infrastructure, and end up with a public profit of 2.5 bn USD."
"Just to sum it up, we’d need about $5 bn private investment to finance more than $1 bn social infrastructure, and end up with a public profit of 2.5 bn USD."
"We strongly suggest to keep that profit in a public and very transparently and internationally supervised bucket and to be very strict about distributing into three thirds: one third would be the city repair like immediate help...
...second for the rebuilding of the port and the third for helping to create affordable housing after the Vienna example."
Andreas Kindl @GermanEmbBeirut : "Such a big project can only be built only…if there’s accountability and transparency."
"As soon as this is happening, there is a willingness from the international community to support the redevelopment of the port and Beirut".
"As soon as this is happening, there is a willingness from the international community to support the redevelopment of the port and Beirut".
Q&A has started with journalists.
Elias Assouad, Lebanese German Business Council:
"We relied on private companies because they are fast and this is how this consortium was born, and studies started on 24th of August."
"The Germans, when they promise, they deliver"
Elias Assouad, Lebanese German Business Council:
"We relied on private companies because they are fast and this is how this consortium was born, and studies started on 24th of August."
"The Germans, when they promise, they deliver"
Mahayni: "we are not operating, the port, we are master planning the port, we are ensuring it’s operated well and designed well and we’ll open up later on tenders for all subcontractors where anyone can participate"
