Project Cargo & Heavy Lift Logistics in Lebanon: A Complete Guide

What is project cargo?

Project cargo, also called out-of-gauge (OOG), heavy-lift, or break-bulk cargo, refers to shipments that are too large, too heavy, or too structurally complex to move as standard containerised freight. Typical examples include:

• Power transformers and high-voltage switchgear
• Turbines, generators and compressors
• Pressure vessels and heat exchangers
• Modular plant sections and prefabricated structures
• Construction cranes, drilling rigs and piling equipment
• Wind turbine nacelles, blades and tower sections

Every project cargo move is, by definition, unique. There is no off-the-shelf rate or standard routing, each shipment requires engineering, permitting, and coordination across multiple authorities and service providers. GHO Express has handled this coordination in Lebanon since 1971, bringing five decades of port relationships, customs experience, and knowledge of Lebanese road and infrastructure constraints to every project.

Step 1, Pre-shipment planning and route survey

The most critical phase of any project cargo move happens before the cargo is fabricated or loaded. A pre-shipment survey determines:

1. Maximum transportable dimensions, overhead clearances, bridge load ratings, road widths and turn radii along the proposed route from port to site. These constraints should ideally influence the design or modularisation of equipment before manufacturing is finalised.
2. Port capabilities, crane capacity, berth dimensions, storage area, and availability of the relevant port’s heavy-lift equipment.
3. Axle-load calculations, how to distribute weight across a multi-axle trailer or Goldhofer platform so road surfaces and bridges are not overloaded.
4. Permit requirements, which authorities must approve the move and what documentation they require.

We conduct route surveys on the ground in Lebanon and provide a written report that feeds directly into the transport engineering package. If we identify a constraint, a low bridge in Dbayeh, a narrow bend on the Jounieh highway, or a weight-limited bridge in the Bekaa, we flag it early so the solution can be designed in, not bolted on.

Step 2, Port handling and arrival

For sea freight, project cargo typically arrives on:

• Heavy-lift vessels (HLV), semi-submersible or crane-equipped vessels for very large or heavy pieces.
• Multi-purpose vessels (MPV), general cargo ships with onboard cranes used for break-bulk and OOG cargo.
• Flat-rack or open-top containers, for cargo that slightly exceeds standard container dimensions but can be contained on a flat-rack or under a tarpaulin.

At Beirut Port, arrival procedures for exceptional cargo include:

• Pre-arrival notification to the Port Authority and terminal operator, usually 72 hours in advance.
• Coordination of berth allocation for heavy-lift vessels.
• Arrangement of mobile cranes or the port’s own cranes for discharge.
• Pre-clearance documentation lodged with Lebanese Customs to minimise dwell time.

Our airport cargo office at the LAT Building in Cargo Village handles project cargo arriving by air, typically high-value components with critical-path schedules that cannot wait for a vessel.

Step 3, Lebanese customs clearance for project cargo

Customs clearance for project cargo in Lebanon involves several procedures that differ from standard commercial imports:

• Customs valuation, capital equipment and one-of-a-kind pieces may require a customs valuation ruling if the invoice value is disputed.
• Temporary admission, equipment imported for a specific contract (a construction project, a drilling campaign) can often be admitted temporarily without full duty payment, subject to a guarantee and re-export commitment. Our brokers manage the guarantee and ensure re-export paperwork is filed on time.
• ATA Carnet, for demonstration equipment or exhibition pieces, an ATA Carnet avoids full customs entry.
• Duty exemptions, certain capital goods categories attract reduced or zero duty under Lebanese investment-promotion legislation; we advise on eligibility.

For full detail on Lebanese import procedures, see our customs clearance service page.

Step 4, Overland transport and permits

Once cleared from port, the cargo moves by road to site under a Ministry of Public Works and Transport exceptional-load permit. The permit process requires:

1. Submission of vehicle details, load dimensions (length, width, height), total convoy weight, and proposed route.
2. Route inspection by the Ministry if the load is unusually heavy or wide.
3. Issuance of the permit with approved travel windows (usually off-peak hours or night convoys for urban sections) and escort requirements.
4. Coordination with Internal Security Forces for police escort if required.

Typical transport equipment includes low-loaders, Goldhofer modular trailers (SPMT, Self-Propelled Modular Transporters) for very heavy pieces, and hydraulic gooseneck trailers. For loads that require street furniture removal, cable raising or temporary road closures, we coordinate with the relevant municipality and utility operators.

Step 5, Final positioning and lifting at site

Project cargo rarely ends at the tailgate of a truck. Final positioning often requires:

• Mobile crane lifts, for setting equipment onto foundations or elevated platforms. We arrange and supervise the crane, and can supply a lift plan stamped by a certified lifting engineer.
• Strand jacks and hydraulic skidding, for pieces too heavy for cranes, or where the geometry of the installation prevents crane access.
• Precision alignment, for coupled rotating equipment, alignment tolerances may be sub-millimetre; we coordinate with the OEM commissioning team.

We work alongside EPC contractors, site managers and OEM representatives, and we maintain a clear log of lift weights, rigging configurations and positioning data for handover documentation.

Documentation checklist for project cargo in Lebanon

Prepare the following before shipment:

• Commercial invoice with full commodity description and declared value
• Packing list with piece weights and dimensions (length × width × height in metres)
• Bill of lading (sea) or air waybill (air)
• Certificate of origin
• Transport permit application documents (vehicle specs, route plan, axle weights)
• Lifting and rigging plan (for craned lifts)
• Customs entry or temporary-admission application
• Insurance certificate covering the full replacement value of the piece

How project cargo relates to other GHO Express services

Project cargo rarely moves in isolation. A typical industrial project involves:

• Sea freight for the main heavy-lift pieces and bulk materials, see sea freight.
• Air freight for critical-path spare parts and instruments, see air freight.
• Customs clearance for import entries, temporary admission and re-export, see customs clearance.
• Warehousing to stage components as they arrive before site is ready, see warehousing & distribution.
• All-mode charters when a piece is too urgent or too large for scheduled services, see all-mode charters.
• Packing and crating for sensitive components requiring export-grade timber crating, see packing & removals.

Why GHO Express for project cargo in Lebanon

• Since 1971, five decades of heavy-lift and project logistics experience through Beirut.
• On-site at the airport, an office in the LAT Building, Cargo Village, Rafic Hariri International Airport, for air-freight project cargo.
• FIDI member, quality standards across all operations, including project-cargo documentation and chain-of-custody procedures.
• Global partner network, agents and partners worldwide for international legs, with GHO handling the Lebanon end of every move.
• End-to-end accountability, one point of contact from pre-shipment survey to final positioning at site.

Every project cargo move through Lebanon is manageable with the right planning. Contact our project cargo team with your cargo dimensions, weights, port of loading, and site address, we will assess the route, estimate the permit timeline, and give you a realistic project plan.