Sea Maps and Sailing Instructions for Mariners Heading to Tripoli, Lebanon

• Terrain Maps
• Street Maps
• Satellite Maps
• Touristic Maps
• Aerial Imagery
• Urban Growth Maps
• Sea Maps
• Historical Maps

Present

• ElMina

The harbour - ElMina - three kilometers away, hosted what was apparently at one time a Phoenician town of which nothing now remains. ElMina is also known as the "City of Waves and Horizons".

• Families

A repository of Tripolitan families and expatriates.

• Handicrafts

Tripoli has long been known for its sweets industry, olive oil-based soap production, and copper crafts.

• Index Tripolis

Index Tripolis is a project to provide bibliographic information about Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Kazdoura

A wander around inside Tripoli, Lebanon: A diary of humouristic series of walkabouts "kazdouras".

• Links

Useful links and telephone numbers in Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Maps

Terrain, street, satellite, touristic, urban growth, sailing, and historical maps and aerial imagery of Tripoli, Lebanon.

• News

Daily and weekly news from Tripoli, Lebanon.

• North Lebanon

A guide for towns and villages neighbouring Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Palm Islands

The Palm islands park is a unique and integrated natural marine basin in the eastern Mediterranean that was declared as a reserve in 1994.

• Panoramic Views

Interactive panoramic views of Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Tripoli e-Discussion Society

The 'Tripoli e-Discussion Society' is an independently self-controlled body that aims at gathering Tripolitans residing all over the world to discuss issues pertaining to Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Today's Tripoli

Present aspects of Tripoli, Lebanon

• Tripoli Radio

Tripoli Internet Radio features original on-demand programs about different aspects of Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Tripoli TV

Tripoli Internet TV brings you the latest video clips related to Tripoli and features original on-demand films about different aspects of Tripoli, Lebanon.

Past

• History

A quick reference about Tripoli in the Prehistorical, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Crusades, Mameluke, and Ottoman periods.

• Monuments

The wealth of historical monuments make Tripoli the second largest preserved Mameluke city in the world.

• The Tripoli Quiz

An educational game to test your knowledge on the present and history of Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Tourist Guide

A comprehensive tourist guide for sightseeing in the historical districts of Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Virtual Museum

A documented history of Tripoli from the 3rd to the 20th centuries with large collections of coins, garments, manuscripts, paintings, old photographs, and many other artifacts.

Languages

• Français

Bienvenue à Tripoli, Liban

• عربي

أهلاً بكم في طرابلس لبنان

• Ramadhan / رمضان

The Holy Month of Ramadhan in Tripoli / شهر رمضان المبارك في طرابلس

• عائلات

العائلات الطرابلسية

1. El-Mina: Parks, Quarters
2. Islands: Bakar, Bellan, Fanar, Palm, Sanani, Ramkeen, etc..
3. Tripoli's Palm Islands Natural Preserve
4. Weather: Live Weather Forecast for Tripoli Lebanon

Information presented in The Tripoli Internet Database/tripoli-city.org web site is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized public reproduction or distribution of material contained in The Tripoli Internet Database/tripoli-city.org web site, or any portion of it, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties, and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under the law.

Please send your comments, suggestions, or contributions to: Dr. Ghazi Omar Tadmouri.

34 deg 27 min N, 35 deg 50 min E. - World Port Index No. 45025

Tarabulus (Tripoli), a large city, extends E of Al Mina and contains numerous high-rise buildings. The port complex fronts of the N shore of the city and consists of a harbor basin, protected by breakwaters at the W end, and an offshore tanker terminal at the E end. Deep-draft vessels frequently transfer cargoes to lighters in the roadstead close N of the harbor basin.

Port operations in the roadstead are usually suspended for up to 20 days from December through March as a result of N gales. During the rainy season (January and February), periods of intermittent rain may last up to 11 days.

The tidal rise is very small, being only 0.6m at springs. Tidal currents are weak and variable and are often hidden by surface currents generated by the wind.

It is the second largest port in Lebanon. It was re-founded in 1959 and a modest "free zone" was added to it in 1971. The seaport consists of a harbor for ships, seven 150-meters parking lots that include large stores, a harbor for fishing boats, and a free industrial area. Tripoli's seaport can receive seven ships at a time with a maximum load of 8,000 tons. Each year, the Tripoli seaport receives 1,200 ships with a total load of 1,800,000 tons. Strategically, the port has a good geographical situation since it is linked to a highway net work with the Arab countries. In addition, the harbor is safe from tides and waves all year round. Handling and lifting facilities for all kinds of cargo and containers are available. The recent implementation of computerized systems simplified bureaucratic work. Measures have been also taken recently to decrease the tariffs and fees collected at the Seaport. As for the advantages of the Tripoli Port Free Zone, they include: (1) Special encouraging legislation for investors, (2) actual area (open & closed) 150,000 m2, (3) project surface area as per plan 600,000 m2, (4) available parcels of 25000 m2 and its multiples for storage, transit, trade an light assembly industries, (5) modern infrastructure (electricity, water, telecommunication), (6) low fees, (7) high fences surrounding the complete boarder of the free zone, and (8) 24 hours/day security.

The entrance fairway is about 150 m wide and has dredged depth of 9 m. A pier, 600-1000 m long, has two berths on its W side with depths of 8 to 10 m alongside. Vessels up to 150 m in length and 6.8 m draft can be accomodated alongside. The oil terminal has five offshore loading berths which lie in depths of 11.6 to 20.1 m. The berths consist of several mooring buyos and are connected to the shore by submarine pipelines. Berth No. 5 can handle tankers of up to 35,000 dwt with a maximum draft of 7.5 m draft; Berth No. 4 can handle tankers up to 25,000 dwt and 9.7 m draft; Berth No. 3 can handle tankers up to 87,000 dwt and 14.3 m draft; Berth No. 1 can handle tankers up to 140,000 dwt and 17 m draft; and Berth No. 2 can handle tanks up to 250,000 dwt and 18.3 m draft.

Tripolitans hope to have a devoted section in the harbour for ship repair and construction and to have a "Free Sea Zone" such as that present in Jabal Ali in Dubai (UAE). For this, some maintainance hangars, better equiped storage constructions, deeper sea floor, and larger harbor(s) are needed. Recently, plans to develop the port of Tripoli have been announced by the Ministry of transport, to expand the port of Tripoli by 1,200,000 square meters and to make it include refrigerated warehouses, buildings for light and assembly industries, and big size warehouses. The plan also aims at enlarging the quay length up to 2200 m and its draft up to 12 m of depth. At present, the Tripoli port authority has prepared a master plan with the leading French company (SOGREAH) to enlarge and rehabilitate the Tripoli port and its free zone.

Jabal Turbul, a round-topped peak, stands 6 miles of Al Mina. It is 681 m high and is an excellent landmark in clear weather. The tower of Barsbay (commonly known as Lions), 21 m high, stands near the root of the E breakwater. This tower is conspicuous and it is sometimes marked by a light. A prominent silo stands on the E breakwater. A rado tower, 74 m high, stands 0.3 mile WSW of the Tower of Barsbay (Lions). The Tripoli Citadel, a large castle, is situated on a hill, 60m high, in the S part of the city. Several flares, two radio towers, a signal station, and a large group of oil storage tanks are situated along the coast in the vicinity of the oil terminal. A lighted buoy is moored about 3.2 miles NE of the head of the W breakwater and marks the approach to the offshore berths.

Pilotage is compulsory. Pilots can be contacted by VHF and board about 2 miles NE of the head of the W breakwater. Vessels should send an ETA at least 48 hours in advance through Tarablus (Tripoli) (ODC8), and a confirmation 1 hour before arrival.

Anchorage is provided N of the harbor area. The S part of the roadstead, with depths of 11 to 14m, lies about 0.9 miles NNW of the outer head of the W breakwater. The N part of the roadstead, with depths of 14 to 35m, is used by ankers. In NE gales, anchorage can be taken in depths of 14 to 20m, sand, SW of Al Mina.

When approaching the roadstead from the S, vessels should give the W side of Jazeera (island) Ramkeen a wide berth when rounding the islet. A restricted area, which may be best seen on maps, lies the vicinity of the offshore oil berths. Several wrecks, some dangerous, lie in the approaches to the port complex.

(34 deg 27 min N., 35 deg 48 min E.), formed by a low promontory, is located 6 miles NE of Ras an Natur at the W side of Tarabulus. The coast between is fronted by rocks and shoals which extend up to about 1 mile, in places, from the ahore. A conspicuous convent stands on a hill, 4.2 miles SSW of Al-Mina.

(34 deg 30 min N., 35 deg 45 min E.) is the outermost of a chain of islets, rocks, and shoals which extends up to 3.8 miles NW of ElMina. A main light is shown from a structre, 5m high, standing at the W side of this islet. Sanani Channel, with a depth of 11m, leads through this chain of dangers 2 miles NW of ElMina. This passage has a fairway 0.3 mile wide, is unmarked, and is only used by small vessels with local knowledge.

Maritimal Map of Tripoli and its Islands.

Map of Tripoli and its Islands.

Map of the Tripoli Islands.

The Coast of Tripoli.

The seaport at ElMina.

The stores at the seaport at ElMina.

Detailed Map of the Palms Island in Tripoli.