Consolidated Situation Report - 9 - 8 September 2006

Content

CONTENTS

1.    SECURITY
2.    AIR OPERATIONS
3.    SEA
4.    BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS
5.    INFRASTRUCTURE
6.    LOGISTICS COORDINATION
7.    LOGISTICS (STOCKS)
8.    MAPPING
9.    FUEL

1.    SECURITY

• The imposed air blockade was lifted yesterday (7/09/06) at 18:00 local time, however at present the naval blockade remains in place.
• The expansion of UNIFIL troops has reached 3,500, with new Italian forces moving into Lebanon.
• The United Nations hopes to have 5,000 troops in UNIFIL by the middle of September.
• The French are currently leading the naval contingent established to police the coast of Lebanon. The Germans are soon expected to take over this responsibility with two navy frigates. Greece has also offered to participate.
• Germany will provide technological assistance to the Lebanese Forces controlling the border with Syria.
• The security phase in Lebanon has been dropped to phase 3 north of the Litani river and in Tyre pocket.  The area south of the Litani, with the exception of Tyre and the connecting road to the north, remains phase 4.
• 448 cluster bomb locations have now been identified in southern Lebanon.
• On 6/09/06, two Lebanese soldiers were killed and one was wounded while defusing unexploded cluster bombs in southern Lebanon.

• A car bomb exploded on 5/9/06 in Rmeileh (Southern Beirut). The target was apparently a Lebanese Security Forces officer, Samir Shehade, who was working on Rafik Hariri's assassination inquiry. He survived the attack, however four of his bodyguards were killed.
• UNHAS have been requested by UNDSS to remain in country for the next two weeks in case this marks a deterioration in the current situation.

2.  AIR OPERATIONS

• Two of the three main runways at Beirut International Airport are now open for use. Runway 16 is now being used for arrivals and Runway 21 for departures.
• The airport is now available for use on a 24 hour basis, however Jet A1 remains available only in limited quantities.
• The two German air force Transall C160s tasked by WFP UNHAS will make rotations on 8/9/06 and 9/9/06 from Larnaca and one on 11/9/06 from Amman. These are expected to be the final C160 flights. 
• Total flights to date have reached 22 rotations in August for 108 MT of cargo, and another five rotations in September for 23 MT.

• An Antonov 12 arrived at 17:30 on 7/9/06 carrying donations from the people of Turin.
• A 747 is expected from the US at 9:00 on 8/9/06 carrying goods for Mercy Corps and the Hariri Foundation.
• Three Royal Air Jordanian flights are taking place between on a daily basis, and Middle East Airlines flights to Africa, Europe and the Gulf Region are continuing.
• For now, all MEA flights are still via Jordan, however this is expected to change with the lifting of the blockade.

3.    SEA

• The current rotation for the vessel Anamcara is as follows:
  arr Mersin 04H00 Tues 05/09
  dep Mersin 11H00 Thurs 07/09
  arr Beirut pm Fri 08/09
  dep Beirut am Sun 10/09
  arr Limassol am Mon 11/09
  dep Limassol pm Mon 12/09
  arr Beirut am Tues 12/09
  All users wishing to send remaining cargo from Limassol are requested to submit a CMR immediately for the 11/09 sailing.

  Other Incoming vessels:

• The Antwerp Max vessel coming from New Orleans arrived at Beirut port on September 6th with a cargo of yellow corn
• The Charalabos vessel coming from Batoumi (Georgia) arrived at Beirut port on September 6th with a cargo of diesel.
• The Louise vessel coming from Turkey arrived at Beirut port on September 6th with a cargo of gasoline.
• The Amor vessel coming from Malta is expected to arrive at Beirut port on September 8th with a cargo of gasoline.
• The Sheila Mc Devit vessel coming from Houston is expected to arrive at Beirut port on September 10th with a cargo of wheat.
• Anamcara vessel left for Mersin, where she's expected to load food and NFI commodities. She then returns to Beirut port: ETA Friday September 8th.

4.  BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS

• For customs clearance, port handling and transport information please see www.unjlc.org/lebanon.

5.  INFRASTRUCTURE (Roads, Bridges, Rail, Ports, Airports, Warehouse)

• The Damour Bridge will be opening today (8/9/06) following repairs. This is the first reopening resulting from French engineering efforts, and the French Minister of Transport will be present to mark the event.

6.    LOGISTICS COORDINATION

• On request from the Lebanese High Relief Council (HRC), UNJLC met with the HRC and ICRC to explore further coordination on the tracking, reporting and mapping of food and non food items (NFI) entering the country.
• With the lifting of the blockade, congestion is expected at the port and airport as large quantities of supplies enter the country.
• 60,000 containers are already expected in country by sea.
• Users of Common Cargo Transport under the Logistics Cluster are requested to note that the WFP warehouse in Beirut will now be closed on Sundays.

7.    LOGISTICS (STOCKS)

• 6,045 MT of Food and 1,847 MT of NFI have been moved through Lebanon via the Cargo Movement Request program since the start of the operation.

8.  MAPPING

• UNJLC maps of Logistics Cluster food and NFI distribution within Lebanon have been updated as of 6/09/06.
• For all UNJLC maps of Lebanon please refer to website www.unjlc.org/lebanon.

9.   FUEL

Fuel rates in Lebanon are as follows (previous rates are in bold):