Shipwrights in Lebanon impacted by financial strains

STORY: Shipwrights in Lebanon impacted by financial strains DATELINE: Sept. 30, 2022 LENGTH: 00:03:34 LOCATION: Beirut CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of people making boats 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): AHMAD ABBAS 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): KHALIL SENBOL 4. various of people making boats STORYLINE: Ahmad Abbas, a man in his 70's, spends hours producing boats in the southern city of Sidon. Abbas cuts the woods with help from several workers at his workshop and implements a map he had drawn for his boat. "This is a hobby that starts since he is a kid, as it is my case," Abbas told Xinhua. Abbas explained that the new generation is not much interested in this craftsmanship because it is too exhausting. Abbas started with the boat business since he was 5 years old with help from his father. He used to renovate old boats until he was able to build a new boat from scratch at the age of 18. The old man explained to Xinhua that he uses different sizes and types of woods for each part of the boat after havin