So,this is what everybody here was talking about,it's actually a project awaiting our government approval,to start right away :)

Serving Tripoli,Byblos,Jounieh,Beirut,Sidon and Tyre.

http://www.beirutwatertaxi.com/

Pretty cool ..I wish if they had a timetable..I wonder how long it would take to get to places as opposed to car.

The service has to make sense. They will need a priceing structure, parking facilities, and be tied into land based transportation/shuttles.

^^ All that included,they said once they get the approval they can start working within a year.50% discount for Students and it's for free for people above 65 years old.

i like it ! finally we can use something else than CARS !!!!! plus it will improve tourism !

If this was ever become a reality would it be able to operate in the rough seas in the winter?

In rotterdam it works very well. We have real ferry's that work like a busline (several stops in Rotterdam itself and other surrounding city's, a lot of people use it on a daily basis). But there are also more expensive real water taxi's (I think with a maximum capacity of 6 people aboard) which you can call or take from certain points to wherever you want. So maybe it will also work in other cities.

^^ All that included,they said once they get the approval they can start working within a year.50% discount for Students and it's for free for people above 65 years old.

Who's funding it? Normally, such transportation programs need public funding of some sort.

Also, where is the equipment being acquired from (the vessels)?

In order to be competitive, they'd have to use catamarans or hydrofoils.

Is it just me or does that website seem sketchy? Kind of unprofessional and vague.

^^ its just a concept made up by someone

This is just a proposal pending government approval. Hopefully the government will actually accomplish something and approve this.

how would they operate during the stormy winter season? even ships arnt surviving the violent seas...its a good idea though, but people need something they can depend on regardless of the weather, it's the only way to truly solve the traffic crisis...

The service can run during the summer months, which has the busiest traffic. It will definitly help on cutting congestion and pollution. It's good idea, hopefully it comes to fruition.

The service can run during the summer months, which has the busiest traffic. It will definitly help on cutting congestion and pollution. It's good idea, hopefully it comes to fruition.

It makes so much sense that it prob won't be approved! Seriously though, it would be a Godsend, imagine going from Beirut to Jounieh in 15 mins or Jbail in 25 mins during rush hour! Just guessing on those times but seems reasonable to me.

very very very beautiful !

i hope this project takes life and was approved by our government. It will i am pretty sure ! But its going to be one hell of an expensive trip.

Who's funding it? Normally, such transportation programs need public funding of some sort.

Also, where is the equipment being acquired from (the vessels)?

In order to be competitive, they'd have to use catamarans or hydrofoils.

It's a private sector project,the owner is Khlid Taki , he was on MTV yesterday talking about the project,Tickets alone won't pay off the money,So they will ask the government to rent 7 pieces of land for 20 years where the terminals are going to be built and use it in Franchise business.
No the vessels,they already ordered some of them from USA,3 types are going to be used,including the VIP one,jb_nl mentioned,this is going to be expensive.

The project sounds great...i understand its use to ease traffic especially on the Beirut-Jouneih highway, but using it for transport between Saida and Beirut doesn't make sense !!!! i mean it only takes 15 to 20 min by car from Central Saida to the Cola, and the Beirut-Saida highway almost never witnesses any sort of traffic congestion...and in order for this project to work it really needs to set some competetive prices, i mean u could go from Saida to Beirut for only 1000 L.L. and if u want to use the fancy large busses with A/C and comfy seats the price rises to 2500 L.L.
So if it doesn't save time nor money...i dont see the purpose of this project serving Saida !!!
other than that, it is an amazing & an innovative project !!! :)

It can be very touristic to arrive to Saida's old port on a boat. But in order to do so, they will need to clean the beach first.

^^Yeah it would !!! :)
but i believe that they're creating this project to be a public means of transportation first, and a luxury touristic ferry ride second !!!
as such, they better be tackling the points i mentioned above if they're willing to acheive their main goal, ie creating a modern convenient transport facility for the public !!! :)

pure touristic project. Its for khalijis.

Btw those boats works only during summer and in a short winter period due to high speed winds and storms.

Soon, "sea taxi" to resolve the traffic crisis.

A ministerial statement of priorities within the basic dilemma in the lives of everyday citizens, a problem of traffic, was the draft Water Taxi Beirut Beirut water. Taxi
He assessed that the project on the use of marine transportation as a solution to traffic problems is the best in Lebanon because of the speed of implementation, as the project would not require more than a year since the start of the project. In the details, said that the main terminal of the taxi will be in the sea port of Beirut and other sub-stations distributed in the ports of Tripoli, Sidon, Jounieh, pictures and Jbeil.
Cards and said it was booking two one called the monthly card can be purchased from kiosks and developed specifically for this purpose at the stations is assigned a curfew in areas at peak hours on the roads of any of the six-thirty in the morning to nine in the morning. And four in the afternoon to seven in the evening.
The second type of card is used for off-peak times where experiencing the busiest roads in the gorge walk, they do not exceed the tariff Serfis official. The process of buying the cards Tickets is up from the station directly through the booths bookings for the trip, which begins later does not take more than 55 minutes to the longest distance a Tripoli - Beirut. It is noteworthy that upon docking the boat loaded with passengers to the station can use a special bus was for the company to hire specifically for the transfer of millions of dollars kick country project from Qatar to rebuild the south to cities and towns of Khiam and Bint Jbeil, Ainata and Aita al-Shaab in the context of Qatar's commitment to the reconstruction of what was destroyed by Israeli aggression during the war in July 2006 .

Passengers to the desired location.
With regard to the types of boats used Vttozaa as follows: 1 - Shuttle: Shuttle, a boat that will absorb a large number of passengers fully Kalpas 2 - Clipper: Clipper features Pfkhamth and Ptarafth the top of the tariff. The Shuttle.
3 -: VIP Shuttle Kaltaksi private functions as moving on request and Tarafth Kaltaksi road sector.
As for the degree of security taken to avoid the hazards of the sea, he said protects "the interest of passenger safety, it is incumbent on the driver of the boat to be in possession of a certificate market freely from New York or London. The work of maintenance of the boats will be at the hands of foreign specialists would be brought for the purpose that is in a later stage, training for the Lebanese to do the job. "
As for where the boat will be for the duration of the trip to the beach adjacent to exclude the occurrence of any accidents by the waves if the weather was stormy.
He assessed that the functions of boats will be limited to the transfer of citizens within the country, including movements for tourism purposes, but Sitaadaha to neighboring countries as the flights will also transport tourists from Lebanon to the neighboring countries that we are going with it, such as Syria and Turkey.
Khaled Taqi submitted the proposal in a meeting with the "Echo of the country" to expand the roads that require much time, especially in light of the growing number of cars on the roads very fact, the conclusion is to use the sea to move between regions.
Students benefit from the resolution of a 50% tariff on the card, and the elderly are the most benefit because they can travel free off-peak hours in traffic jams. It is noteworthy that the project will create a marine taxi new jobs for the Lebanese and will include well-known cafes and several shops in the waiting area equipped with screens showing flight times.

By Iyad rahme (al balad newspaper)
http://pages.albaladonline.com/2128/html/L1-2128-15-1.png

just for 2000LL :banana:

^^google translate much? lol

^^google translate much? lol

haha yeah :p i forgot to mention that ( i read my post earlier i figured some mistakes but yalla :P its ok)

Imagine me translating the whole text from arabic to english !

this is amazing! looks like they will actually go through with it..

"All for public transport in Lebanon" facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=315046347533)

Interesting story about this:

http://nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=151203

Will Taki’s taxis sink or float?
One company’s aims to alleviate Beirut’s infamous traffic problem
Hayeon Lee, May 18, 2010

http://1.1.1.4/bmi/www.nowlebanon.com/ContentPictures/leader-420-18mai-7pm-051810100714.jpg
A sample of what a Beirut Water Taxi would look like, modeled after the sea transport along Thames River in London (courtesy of Khaled Taki)

“Sometimes, my whole day blows off just because I have to sit for one hour in traffic to meet clients while watching the cars and taking in the fumes,” says Khaled Taki, head of Franchise Business Consultants (FBC).

His complaints are typical of other Beirutis, but instead of just sitting by and accepting the problem, Taki – along with a core group of investors and consultants – started to develop an ambitious plan in 2008 to solve this crippling problem. A year later, they came up with the Beirut Water Taxi project, which aims to transport passengers in and out of the city by sea, avoiding the sprawling morning and evening traffic jams. As per the project’s designs, the coast 1 kilometer off land will be marked with lights, and a satellite and a central control will monitor the boats, because “We don’t want to see the same chaos inland also on sea,” says Taki.

Besides Beirut, this $50 million enterprise would also have stations built in Tyre, Saida, Jounieh, Jbeil, Tripoli and Naqoura. Each station would include a 3-floor mall and a large parking lot for passengers’ cars. In Beirut, there would also be shuttle buses, which would take people all over the city once they arrive at the station by boat.

During off-peak hours, the boats would serve tourists who could travel along the coast during the day, and by night, people could enjoy dinner on the boats, then perhaps go to the top floor of the mall, which would host space for nightclubs. “This is typically Lebanese,” laughs Taki. “I designed the project to suit the Lebanese style 100 percent.”

So far, the project has received positive feedback from interested parties. If implemented, the project will create 15,000 jobs – from parking lot employees and shopkeepers in the malls, to captains and shuttle bus drivers. It is also an attractive proposition for politicians, according to Taki, as the stations would be built in major cities representing different communities, and “everyone will get a piece of the pie.”

Most recently, Taki had a series of meetings with IDAL, the investment and development authority linked to the prime minister’s office, which is encouraging the project. Also, the Ministry of Interior has sent specific requirements in order for the project to move forward. “The Beirut Water Taxi project has taken a life of its own. And now, it has become a national project,” says Taki.

However, Fadi Chiniara, professor of Architecture and co-director for international workshops on urban architecture and planning projects at Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts, has reservations. “The water taxis will be for some tourists, but I don’t think Lebanese will go by water taxi and then take a shuttle when they have cars,” he says.

Chiniara is also skeptical whether these water taxis will get people to work on time. The malls, he says, would create traffic at the stations, and the shuttles would create congestion and have to travel within the traffic of Beirut once passengers arrive at the pier.

“My first reaction is that if I come from Tripoli, then take the shuttle, I will lose my day. Is the shuttle even going to take me near my office?” Chiniara says.

“The Beirut water taxi project will only work if it is part of a comprehensive solution inland. It will not help decongestion. In my experience, it will increase the problem. When you have dispatch points where people go from one place to another, you have to calculate if the roads can take them,” he adds.

At the moment, those involved in the Beirut Water Taxi project are waiting for a green light from the government, as well as starting a series of open forums all over the country starting from the end of this month. “People can no longer wait to solve the problems with the traffic of Beirut,” says Taki.

I dont think its going to work sorry to say. Some people may use it but it wont make any significant change. The way to go is secure garages on the edges of Beirut for people who live outside. Then they can use light rail which covers the entire triangle.

Ultimatly there can be a hub for the coastal rail which will come from north and South. Supposedly they are taking a serious approach to reactivating it as a high speed rail. This hub will also connect to the light rail in Beirut.

Why not come up with a simple public bus network? Not the crappy minivans that CAUSE traffic and sometimes risk killing people because of competition? This water taxi system can be good for inter-city transport, what Beirut's problem is inner city congestion...so yeah fix the freakin buses before water taxis!

I have a better solution, they should tax all cars enetering Lebanon. Make it expensive for people to buy. That way people will be forced to utilize public transportion, and provide better services.

^^ there is already a crazy high tax (ghomrok) when you import a car into Lebanon, and that hasn't really stopped people from buying cars. I agree with AmeriLeb on this issue, and that is the only way to solve the congestion problem is through revitalizing the rail system.

damn ghomrok is ridiculous.. lol


I third AmeriLeb's rail system solution, makes the most sense. Also fully agree with Leb-It.. the water taxi is still a fantastic idea if added in conjugation with the other two interlebanon solutions. Water taxis are just a nice way of easy going travelling that tourists will love...and myself, not gunna lie haha

تاكسي بحري في لبنان مشروع لتجنب الازدحام الخانق

http://www.tayyar.org/NR/rdonlyres/37541C3D-BF52-4264-81A4-6C3FB92405EE/158089/129230917102782528.jpg

قد يصبح التنقل على طول الساحل اللبناني متاحا دون الوقوع في جحيم ازدحام السير الخانق، وذلك بفضل مشروع التاكسي البحري ("بيروت ووتر تاكسي") الذي سيوفر النقل السريع بين المناطق الساحلية على متن عبارات.
وتدغدغ هذه الفكرة احلام الالاف من اللبنانيين الذين يمضون ساعات يوميا في زحمة السيارات، لا سيما في الطرق التي تصل المدن اللبنانية الساحلية ببعضها. وقد ابدى رئيس الحكومة اللبنانية سعد الحريري دعمه لهذا المشروع بانتظار تحضير مشروع قانون.

ويقول خالد التقي المدير العام لشركة "ليبانيز ووتر ترانسبورتايشن التيرناتيف" (الشركة اللبنانية للنقل البحري البديل) "بمجرد الحصول على الضوء الاخضر، ستبنى المحطات وتصنع العبارات خلال عام واحد". ويضيف "حركة المرور اصبحت لا تطاق" في بلد يفتقر الى نقل عام فعال.

فالعاصمة بيروت، التي يبلغ عدد سكانها اكثر من مليون نسمة، تشهد حركة دخول نصف مليون سيارة اليها يوميا، وربع هذه السيارات يكون على متنها شخص واحد فقط.

ويتابع خالد التقي "الهدف هو تخفيض تدفق السيارات الى بيروت بنسبة 25% على الاقل من خلال تقديم وسيلة مريحة للنقل يستفيد منها الموظفون والطلاب والسياح كذلك"، وهو يطمح في ان تتمكن شركته من نقل 10 الاف شخص يوميا في المرحلة الاولى، على ان يرتفع العدد الى خمسين الفا.

ويوضح خالد التقي ان هذه الفكرة راودته عندما قدم اثنان من موظفيه استقالتهما في كانون الثاني/يناير من العام 2009 "لانهما ضاقا ذرعا من قضاء ساعة او اثنتين لبلوغ بيروت من جل الديب او انطلياس" اللتين تبعدان حوالى خمسة كيلومترات فقط عن العاصمة.

وتقدر كلفة هذا المشروع بخمسين مليون دولار في المرحلة الاولى، وهو قائم على نظام حقوق امتيازات تجارية تشارك من خلاله مجموعة من الشركات في ادارة الممر البحري والعبارات وكذلك المراكز التجارية التي ستقام بجانب المحطات.

ويشرح التقي محاسن مشروعه قائلا "بدلا من ان يصاب الموظف بانهيار عصبي ، يمكنه ان يتناول طعام الفطور في "المول" (المركز التجاري)، ويشتري صحيفة ويشرب قهوته بهدوء في عبارة +شاتل+ (سعتها 160 شخصا)، او +كليبر+ (220 شخصا)، او عبارة كبار الشخصيات (16 شخصا)".

ومركبا "شاتل" و"كليبر" استراليا الصنع من طراز كاتاماران. وسيعملان بين السادسة صباحا والتاسعة ليلا على نقل الركاب بين بيروت والمدن الساحلية، طرابلس وجبيل وجونيه في الشمال، والدامور وصيدا وصور والناقورة جنوبا.

ومن المقرر ان يعمل التاكسي البحري على مدار السنة، ولن يستثنى من ذلك سوى الايام التي يشهد البحر فيها امواجا عاتية، ويعود لوزارة الدفاع تحديد بعد خط السير البحري عن الشاطىء.

ولن تتجاوز تعرفة التاكسي البحري قيمة التاكسي الجماعي (السرفيس). فتعرفة الانتقال من بين بيروت وجونيه (15 كيلومترا) مثلا هي ستة الاف ليرة (اربعة دولارات) ويستغرق 25 دقيقة.

ويؤكد التقي ان لهذا المشروع انعكاسات ايجابية، اذ ان "الموظفين سيلاحظون ارتفاعا في انتاجيتهم (...) والطلاب الوافدين من المناطق لن يضطروا لاستئجار غرف في بيروت، هذا عدا الفوائد على المستوى السياحي".

وينطوي المشروع كذلك على شبكة حافلات تصل محطات التاكسي البحري بالمدن. وبعد الانتهاء من دوام العمل عند التاسعة مساء، تتحول العبارات الى مطاعم.

واكد التقي ان الهم البيئي لا يغيب عن هذا المشروع، اذ ان وسيلة النقل هذه من شأنها ان تخفض انبعاثات ثاني اوكسيد الكربون، كما ان المحطات ستبنى متلائمة مع النمط المعماري للمدن.

واوضح ان هذا المشروع "لن تكون له اي تكلفة على الدولة"، مضيفا "على العكس من ذلك فانها ستجني عائدات الضرائب"، كما توقع التقي ان يؤمن هذا المشروع 15 الف فرصة عمل. وقد انضم الالاف من اللبنانيين الى صفحة على موقع فسيبوك مخصصة لمساندة المشروع.

^^ Please provide an English translation or summary.

^^Summary:
-Saad Harriri is supporting this project, at the moment it is pending a draft law
-once the director of the initiative gets the okay, it will only take 1 year to build the hubs
-in the first phase, he wants to move 10,000 people but eventually get it up to 50,000 a day
-first stage of project will cost approximately 50 million dollars
-there are three boats. The Shutter (holds 160), the Clipper (220ppl) and VIP (16ppl)
-Shutter and Clipper are Australian made, they will operate in the morning, and from 6-9pm dailybetween Beirut and the coastal cities, Tripoli and Jounieh and Byblos in the north, and Damour, Sidon and Tyre and Naqoura in the south.
-service is everyday of the year, as the sea permits (if waves are dangerous, boats will not run)
-from beirut to jounieh will take 25 minutes and cost around $4
-entire project has NO cost to the government, and the government will actually be able to collect tax revenue from it. It will also create 15,000 jobs
-all hubs will be designed with the same style of architecture of the city it is in.

Has anyone else noticed that traffic isn't really a problem along the coast except for the stretch between Jounieh and Beirut? The drive between Jounieh and Tripoli and Beirut-Saida-Sur-Naqoura actually isn't that bad traffic-wise. Why would anyone take a boat from Saida to Beirut when they could just take the express bus for 2,500 and arrive at a major transfer point which is centrally located in the city?

I believe this project needs to focus on the areas between Jounieh and Beirut. I think a boat line going from Jounieh-Dbeyyeh-Dora (station with an underground tunnel to City Mall)-Beirut waterfront. Then from the Beirut waterfront, there they could transfer and use bus lines that go
Line 1: Waterfront- Martyrs Square, Gemmazyeh, Sassine, Sodeco, back to the waterfront
Line 2: Waterfront Express to Cola and the Airport and back
Line 3: Ain El Mrayesee, Bliss, Hamra, Raouche, Manara, back to the waterfront
What do you guys think? Would those of you living in Lebanon find this convenient?

Water taxi set to sail to rescue of gridlocked Beirut(English)

By Rana Moussaoui (AFP) – 17 hours ago

BEIRUT — Dream of commuting into bustling Beirut minus the nightmarish traffic? The Beirut Water Taxi will offer an alternative for tens of thousands of people crowding into the Lebanese capital every day.

"Traffic has become unbearable in this country," said Khaled Takki, head of the privately-owned Lebanese Water Transportation Alternative which is behind the project.

The water taxi service, similar to the famed ferries on the Hudson River and the Hampton Ferry on the River Thames, aims to pitch an affordable, eco-friendly and enjoyable option for employees, students and tourists alike.

"Instead of having frayed nerves by the end of the hours-long commute, this will allow employees, students and tourists to enjoy the trip and read the paper over breakfast or a cup of coffee," Takki told AFP.

"Employees will be more productive and ... students from all regions across Lebanon will not have to stay in dorms in Beirut, in addition to the advantages it offers tourists," he added.

Takki says he was inspired when two of his own employees submitted their resignation letters because they could no longer bear to wake before dawn to beat the hours-long traffic.

"They were sick and tired of spending two hours on the road to reach Beirut from Antelias," a coastal city just five kilometres (three miles) north of Beirut.

His 50 million dollar project has received the support of Prime Minister Saad Hariri and now awaits ratification of a law that will allow it to set sail.

"Once we get the green light, we expect to build the piers and shuttle boats within one year," he told AFP.

Around half a million cars drive in and out of Beirut every day, a quarter of them carrying only the driver, and congested traffic in the hot Beirut sun is frequently the centre of television news reports.

"Our aim is to cut back at least 25 percent of the influx of cars into Beirut and offer employees, students and tourists a pleasant option in their commute," Takki said.

The Beirut Water Taxi plans to start by transporting 10,000 people across Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline daily and eventually build its capacity to accommodate 50,000 people.

Passengers can expect to pay 6,000 Lebanese pounds (four dollars, three euros) for a 25-minute ride from Beirut to the northern suburb of Jounieh, the same price as a shared taxi.

Takki says the ferry service, which should help reduce carbon dioxide emissions, will stop in major coastal cities -- Damour, Sidon, Tyre and Naqura in the south, Jounieh, Byblos and Tripoli in the north, and the capital Beirut.

The service employs three different types of boats: "shuttles" carry up to 160 people, "clippers" up to 220 people and "VIP speed taxis" some 16 people.

Takki plans to first use Australian-made Catamarans with 30-knot power to transport passengers along the coastline from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm.

The project also includes a bus service to transport passengers from the dock to destinations throughout the city.

The Beirut Water Taxi is set to operate throughout the year, pending good weather, and passengers are insured for up to 250,000 dollars (198,601 euros).

The entrepreneur estimates his project will also create some 15,000 jobs.

"This project will not cost the state anything," he said. "In fact, the government stands to make some money from taxes on ticket sales and will be able to use our sea 'highway'."

And, in line with Lebanon's love of food and fun, Takki even plans to turn the boats into floating restaurants with a view of the coast at night and build shopping centres along the piers.

The project has already secured thousands of fans on Facebook -- some of whom are asking Takki to build a coastal train as well.

"We want a railway too! A train along the shore and toward the Bekaa" in eastern Lebanon, wrote one Facebook fan.

"Around half a million cars drive in and out of Beirut every day, a quarter of them carrying only the driver, and congested traffic in the hot Beirut sun is frequently the centre of television news reports.

"Our aim is to cut back at least 25 percent of the influx of cars into Beirut and offer employees, students and tourists a pleasant option in their commute," Takki said."

If the above is true and they think they will cut 25% of cars. I have another solution for the 25% one person in car part....In the US we have HOV lanes...(High occupancy Vehicle) basically there is one traffic lane that at peak times has to be more than one person in the car. These lanes promote carpooling and generally move faster I think they can easy impose that on bottleneck areas..the cost is low and they can make revenue on tickets.

^^ Car pool lanes might work in places like the States and Australia, on the way to work ( I work at the airport) there are lanes for Airport bus' and Taxis. I dont think Car pool lanes will work in Lebanon. Im excited about the water taxi's will make it so much easyer for visitors to get to other cities and towns.

The website looks like it was re-made... and kind of updated from what I remember it being.

http://www.beirutwatertaxi.com/index.html

I dont know how accurate this is, but supposedly this is a test for the Beirut Taxi
http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/4031/60471473612796048249901.jpg (http://img714.imageshack.us/i/60471473612796048249901.jpg/)

http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/151/47673473612836048249901.jpg (http://img821.imageshack.us/i/47673473612836048249901.jpg/)

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/523/47673473612841048249901.jpg (http://img231.imageshack.us/i/47673473612841048249901.jpg/)

I hope not.... I wouldnt get on that thing if someone paid me. Can you imagine a floating BUS in the MEDITERRANEAN SEA...

Those pictures were taken in Malta.

Those pictures were taken in Malta.

Yea and i'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with Lebanon. One of the big Lebanese Facebook groups made a mistake and posted these pictures saying they were in Libnan.

And this is not the Beirut water taxi.

http://humanprovince.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/beirut-water-taxi.jpg

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/Apr/28/Water-Taxi-Project-could-help-free-up-nations-roads.ashx#axzz1kil3vftA

^^ COOL, i almost forgot about it :)

http://humanprovince.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/beirut-water-taxi.jpg

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/Apr/28/Water-Taxi-Project-could-help-free-up-nations-roads.ashx#axzz1kil3vftA

This article dates back to April 2010 John, and if they were building the arks of the 2012 movie by then, they would've been completed by now!

too bad, I thought this photo might be proof that its actually going ahead, or at least a prototype is ready. however the photo looks photoshopped as the beirut water taxi sign doesnt quite match the curve of the boat.

oh well :)

^^ It may have just been a variation of the logo. I highly doubt a reputable news organization like The Daily Star would publish a photo-shopped image.

^^ He's actually right, it's way to straight to be on that surface, plus look at the small writing under the logo ''beirut water taxi''... blurred out