First Power-Generating Ship Arrives in Lebanese Waters, but Cannot Dock due to Logistic Problems
The first of two power-generating vessels arrived in Lebanon on Saturday a week after it set sail to Lebanon.
The “Fatmagul Sultan” arrived in Lebanon's regional waters, but it failed to dock in Beirut Port due to “logistic problems,” reported the National News Agency.
The ship therefore cannot become functional until the "technical" problems are resolved.
NNA said that the ship is currently anchored near the Zouk power plant and it “probably won't be able to dock in a port for days.”
Reports in December had expected the ship to arrive in Beirut in April even though it was initially expected to dock in Lebanon in November 2012.
Energy Minister Jebran Bassil explained at the time that the delay was attributed to the government's failure to provide the costs of leasing the ships from Turkish power company Karadeniz.
The cabinet agreed in 2012 to lease power-generating vessels that would help provide 700 megawatts of electricity for a period of three years.
Lebanon has long suffered from electricity outages because of shortages at its power plants whose maximum capacity is less than 1,500 megawatts but the country’s actual need exceeds 2,300 megawatts.
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