AIS Data Shows Ships in Port at Time of Beirut Explosion -List

A general view of the area damaged by a massive explosion and a blast wave, in Beirut, Lebanon August 5, 2020 in this picture obtained from social media. Picture taken with a drone. Instagram/ @Rabzthecopter/via REUTERS

The get a better idea of the ships that were in port on the day of the massive explosions in Beirut, Lebanon, we turn to AIS data provided Spire Global, a satellite data specialist.

According to Spire, the ships in port at the time of the August 4 explosion included:

Cargo Ships

CMA CGM Lyra (Current Status: Moored in Beirut)
Transporter (Current Status: Underway using Engine)
Mero Star (Current Status: Out of Range/Not Reporting)
City of Rome (Current Status: Moored in Beirut)
Pacific M (Current Status: Underway Using Engine)
Raouf H (Current Status: Out of Range/Not Reporting)
FK Hatice (Current Status: At Anchor off Triploi)
Jouri (Current Status: Moored)

Passenger Vessels

Orient Queen (Current Status: Capsized)

Tugs

Baltagi 20 (Current Status: Out of Range)
Baltagi 17 (Current Status: Out of Range)
Baltagi 19 (Current Status: Out of Range)
DPS Tramonte (Current Status: Out of Range)

This image shows the tracks of vessels reported by Spire AIS which were within or close to the port of Beirut on 4-Aug. Image credit: Spire

Two vessels were seen moored at the end of the wharf where the explosion occurred – the Mero Star and Raouf H. The Orient Queen cruise ship, moored across the harbor from the blast, subsequently capsized.

Photos show the two additional ships – Abou Karim III and Abou Karim I – that were moored along the same wharf where the explosion took place. As you can see from the photo below, the Abou Karim I has now also capsized.