German firm completes clearance of dangerous materials from containers at Beirut port
February 8, 2021, 11:59 am

German firm completes clearance of dangerous materials from containers at Beirut port

A German firm assigned by Lebanese authorities to clear dangerous materials, some stored for more than a decade, at Beirut port has completed its task, a presidential statement said on Monday.

A contract with Combi Lift was signed in November to clear chemicals from 52 containers, over three months after the August Beirut port blast killed 200 people, injured thousands and destroyed entire neighborhoods.

Officials have said the explosion was caused by chemicals that went up in flames after being stored at the port in poor conditions for years.

Combi Lift signed the contract to remove flammable and highly reactive chemicals from containers at the port, some of them in storage since 2009.

On Monday, a statement by the President’s office said the German ambassador had informed him the process was now complete and the materials were ready to be shipped outside of Lebanon.

The August explosion, one of the biggest non-nuclear blasts in history, added further strain to a country struggling with a worsening financial crisis.

Six months on, many Lebanese who lost family, homes and businesses in the blast are still waiting for the results of an investigation into it.

source: Reuters

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”