Evolution of Imports Volume Depends on Location of Custom Offices

Five out of nine custom offices revealed higher volumes of imports in H1, 2015 compared to the same period in 2014 despite the 1.27% y-o-y (year-on-year) decline to 7.53M tons in the overall imports, as Port of Beirut (BoP) continues to weigh heavily on total imports, noting that it is the main point of entry into Lebanon, with a share of 65.85%. In fact, PoB saw an 11.06% fall in its imports to reach 4,9M tons worth $6.2B after suffering from labor strikes and slow domestic demand.

Saida was the custom office to witness the largest upturn at 91.81% y-o-y increase to 715,036 tons imported by June 2015. Likewise, custom offices of Tyre and Arida saw annual rises of 73.40% and 72.37% in imports’ volume to reach 2,086 tons and 63,192 tons, respectively. The latter’s ascent was largely due to Arida being a safe passage to the North of Syria. Port of Tripoli and custom office of Abboudieh also witnessed respective increases of 15.89% and 2.99% to 1.60M tons and 62,231 tons. In the Port of Tripoli, it’s possible the improved security developments boosted its trading activity.

Custom office of Masnaa experienced a yearly 47% drop to 69,228 tons in imported goods until June 2015 due to the constant conflict at the Lebanese/Syrian border. In details, imported goods at the mentioned gate fell mainly due to Syrian rebels taking control of the Jordanian Nasib border crossing (between Syria and Jordan) in Q1.

Separately, the imported volume through the Rafik Hariri International Airport (RHIA) remained relatively stagnant at 28,661 tons by June 2015 compared to 28,839 tons by June 2014.

Imports Tonnage Relating to Lebanon’s Main Custom Offices

Evolution of Imports Volume Depends on Location of Custom Offices

Source: Customs

 

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