Assessing the impact of the Beirut port explosion on supply chain management and seaport infrastructure in Lebanon: A pathway to resilience and reform

Abstract

Lebanon experienced a catastrophe on August 4, 2020, the Beirut Port explosion, which formed a critical point in Lebanese history. The explosion revealed vulnerabilities of Lebanon’s supply chain management and maritime infrastructure. Although various questions and ambiguities have been raised and ambiguity has existed surrounding this incident, slowing down the investigation, in this research, it is examined from the perspective of its impacts on the Port’s infrastructure, operations, and supply chain management. A qualitative approach was adopted, and ten structured interviews for their firsthand experience were conducted with ten major stakeholders. The outcomes mentioned significant financial losses, interruption of logistics, and an immediate need for better crisis management practices, in addition to the role of private industry investments within recovery efforts, with the aim of identifying the critical public–private sector cooperation in operational stability and confidence. Theoretically, the study offers a dynamic resilience model that focuses on operational flexibility, technological adaptation, and strategic diversification to construct supply chain resilience. Furthermore, it is one of the first studies to offer empirical, interview-based evidence on post-crisis maritime supply chain resilience in a developing and volatile country setting. In brief, this study sheds light on the influence of this devastating disaster in the short and long run and offers pragmatic and policy implications to better prepare for the future and be resilient against such unexpected hindrances in the context of the calamity.