Summary
Content
CONTENTS
1. SECURITY
2. AIR OPERATIONS
3. BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS
4. INFRASTRUCTURE
5. TRANSPORT SECTOR
6. LOGISTICS (STOCKS)
7. CIVIL-MILITARY COORDINATION
8. FUEL
9. OTHER
1. SECURITY
LEBANON
- All of Lebanon is Security Phase 4 and extreme caution is advised when travelling.
- A UN humanitarian convoy travelling near Tyre was narrowly missed in a rocket attack on a car just in front.
CYPRUS
- A local UN security force, UNFICYP, is present on the island.
2. AIR OPERATIONS
BEIRUT
- The Jordanian Air Force (JAF) is operating three flights a day chartered to the humanitarian community. Rotations are running from Beirut Airport. UNICEF and UNHCR are already using this service for the transport of aid.
CYPRUS
- Air operations in Cyprus are run to and from Larnaca airport.
- Flights taking humanitarian aid from Cyprus to Beirut are currently being carried out by foreign government-donated aircraft. A Portugese C130 flew daily rotations from Brindisi to Beirut between August 4th and 7th carrying 12 tons of supplies per day.
- WFP has asked France to supply some transport to Beirut both by sea and by air. The first transal between Cyprus and Beirut flew on August 7th.
- There is currently no passenger service between Cyprus and Beirut. However, the bombing of roads in northern Lebanon and the difficulty of obtaining visas for Syria, especially for certain nationalities, have been brought up as a serious issue for humanitarian workers trying to reach Beirut.
3. SEA
BEIRUT
- The Beirut port is accessible and currently receiving cargo.
CYPRUS
- Sea operations have begun out of the Cyprus port of Limassol. Carriers currently include French and Greek vessels whose governments have offered humanitarian aid transport to Beirut.
- A WFP-chartered RoRo is expected in Limassol on August 10th and is due to begin operations on August 12th.
3. BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS
LEBANON
- The entry point at Al Arida is still open, however a decrease in both humanitarian and commercial traffic has been noted at the entry point of the Syrian- Lebanese border due to the bombing of the principal road and bridges leading to Beirut. An assessment is currently underway.
- Cross-border procedures between Syria and Lebanon remained unaltered, but delays in movement of any sort will slow access from Damascus due to the damage inflicted by the ongoing IDF military operation.
CYPRUS
- For details and procedures on bringing cargo into Cyprus please refer to the UNJLC website at www.unjlc.org/lebanon.
4. INFRASTRUCTURE (Roads, Bridges, Rail, Ports, Airports, Warehouse)
LEBANON
- The state of infrastructure in Lebanon is critical due to the bombing of roads and bridges both in Beirut and near the borders. The Lebanese army is attempting to make spot repairs, however many roads are subsequently targeted again.
- The French military are doing assessments in the north of the country in an effort to find an alternative route connecting Beirut to the north.
CYPRUS
- ICRC has rented a 1,000m2 warehouse at the airport and has offered to share any additional space with agencies and NGOs if and when available.
- WFP has rented a 3,000m2 warehouse in Limassol.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has 1,000m2 of NFI warehouse space available at the airport.
5. LOGISTICS COORDINATION
GENERAL
- All humanitarian actors requiring cargo movement should use the Cargo Movement Request form and submit it to lebanon.cargo@unjlc.org along with the appropriate documentation. Forms and procedures are available at www.unjlc.org/lebanon.. UNJLC requests users of this service to note that Cargo Movement Requests submitted without key information will be returned for completion, causing delays in service for the requesting organisation.
- Any feedback or follow up on cargo movements can be addressed directly through UNJLC.
- A strategy is being laid out to decentralise the relief effort by establishing hubs in the seaports of Tyre, Saida (Sidon), Tripoli and Beirut.
LEBANON
- To request space on convoys, please submit a Convoy Movement Request form ASAP to lebanon.cargo@unjlc.org.
- Logistics Cluster meetings are held daily at 8 am at the Movenpick Hotel, Pavillon Conference Room.
CYPRUS
- The first Logistics Cluster meeting was held on August 3 and will continue weekly on Thursdays at 3 pm at the San Remo Hotel, Larnaca.
6. LOGISTICS (STOCKS)
GENERAL
- Agencies and NGOs are requested to submit their pipeline data to UNJLC as soon as possible to lebanon.logistics@wfp.org, even if the data is not yet exact. This information is essential for the planning and funding of cargo transport for all aid organisations which require it and to assist in identifying gaps.
LEBANON
- 13 convoys have been dispatched since 26 July transporting relief supplies to Jezzine, Qana, Saida, Tyre, Tebnine and Zahle.
- More convoys are planned for both cargo transport and assessment purposes.
- WFP has received requests to move goods and medical supplies to Zaleh, Tyre, Damour, Saradand and Saida among others.
- Stocks in Lebanon are currently extremely low.
CYPRUS
- Humanitarian cargo is beginning to arrive in Cyprus both at Larnaca airport and at the port of Limassol. More is expected to be directed through Cyprus due to the bombing of the roads in northern Lebanon.
7. MFA/CIVIL DEFENSE FORCE UPDATE
CYPRUS
- Communication is underway between Cyprus and Lebanon for the purpose of establishing air traffic slot procedures for humanitarian cargo.
8. FUEL (Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene)
LEBANON
- The issue of fuel shortage in the country is becoming critical. UNJLC/WFP and UNHRC are to discuss the fuel issue with the Ministry of Energy.
- 247 drums of gasoline are expected to arrive on August 13th with the WFP RoRo.
- ICRC has had some problems obtaining tax and duty exemptions for fuel importations.
CYPRUS
- The WFP RoRo is equipped to carry both drummed and tanked fuel through the standard Cargo Movement Request procedure. Details on fuel shipping from Larnaca can be obtained from the WFP Port Captain at niels.olsen@wfp.org.