Lebanon - Clearance

Pre-Arrival Procedures:

ATCL Jounieh marina  (20km from Beirut city centre) is the best place to clear into Lebanon.

Captain Naaman [+961 3352928] is the ATCL  manager in charge of entry procedures and berth availability. Arrangements must be made with ATCL prior to arrival.

ATCL will contact the Lebanese Navy to inform them of your arrival. You need to provide your ETA to ATCL 24 hours before your arrival in Lebanon.

At 12NM from the coast, call the Lebanese Navy (call sign Oscar Charlie) on VHF Channel 11 or 16, request permission to enter Lebanese waters and advise them of which marina you are heading to for inward clearance.

Only after receiving permission, should the yacht proceed.

The authorities should be contacted again when 6NM from the marina entrance. The arrival should be timed to be during daylight hours. The port captain should be contacted on Channel 16 when about to enter the marina to be given directions to a free berth.

General Clearance Process:

All formalities are completed in the marina and there are various clearance fees, which can be paid in US dollars.

You will be asked for a port clearance form from your last port (zarpe) and they estimate the time you have been at sea from leaving there and arriving in Lebanon. It is no use handing in a two week old Port Said form as you will be asked to leave. This also applies to Syria.

Customs will issue you with a 3 month cruising permit. This can be renewed. There is a Customs charge.

Immigration will want to see passports, and there is also an Immigration charge.

Domestic Cruising:

As with all yacht movements in Lebanon, Military Operation Control (Oscar Charlie) must be contacted prior to departure or arrival at any port in Lebanon, even when already cleared into the country.

An unreported movement will soon be followed by a visit from a Lebanese Navy patrol boat and endless questions.

Immigration must be visited on departure and arrival, from and to any subsequent marina after clearing into the country. There is a departure and arrival charge each time.

Overnight anchoring is not permitted, however, daytime anchoring is possible as long as you return to the marina before dark.

Clearing out of Lebanon:

Clearing out requires an agent, for which there is a charge, although the ATCL marina includes this service for visiting yachts.

See Fees for details of all charges.

Last updated:  July 2023