The malfunction of the scanner at Masnaa Border Crossing has left around 1,000 export trucks stranded, most of them bound for Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. In response, the Lebanese government introduced a temporary emergency procedure under which trucks are sent to the Port of Beirut for scanning before returning to the border crossing to complete customs procedures and continue their journey by road.
Under this arrangement, the trucks are transported to the Port of Beirut at night, scanned there, and then driven back to Masnaa before heading to their final destinations. The main concern, however, is that the only inspection takes place at the port, raising questions about what happens along the hundreds of kilometers between Beirut and the border, where trucks could potentially stop, have their cargo altered, or additional goods loaded before leaving Lebanese territory.
This oversight has raised serious concerns, particularly given the sensitivity of Lebanon’s export sector and its trade relations with Arab countries. Any potential breach could undermine confidence in Lebanese exports and prompt some countries to tighten restrictions or reconsider accepting shipments from Lebanon.
Repairing the scanner at Masnaa requires maintenance work and replacement parts, with estimates suggesting it could take around 15 days before the device is operational again. Until then, the temporary procedure is expected to remain in place while inspections at the border crossing remain suspended.
