Beirut, Jun 9 (IANS): Lebanon has announced the launch of an auction by August to reconstruct the Beirut port abiding by transparency criteria and through an open process.

"Reconstruction will start after the completion of a master plan prepared in cooperation with the World Bank, in order to ensure that we make use of every square metre of the port," Lebanese Public Works and Transport Minister, Ali Hamieh told a press conference on Wednesday.

His remarks came on the occasion of a cooperation agreement signed between Omar Itani, Director of Port of Beirut, and his French counterpart Herve Martel, Head of the Port of Marseille.

Hamieh said the agreement aims at exchanging technical expertise between the two ports to improve the service quality of the Beirut port and add new services to the facility, eventually increasing public revenues, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Beirut port was hit by two big explosions on August 4, 2020, causing more than 200 deaths and a big part of the city destroyed.