The latest news on Iraq’s ports – security, tenders, Kuwait new port & competition and more – brought to you by Iraq Business News
By John Lee. Iraq and the United Kingdom have held talks aimed at finalising a cooperation agreement on hydrographic surveys and nautical chart production. The discussions focused on enhancing technical cooperation in surveying and the production of navigational charts for Iraqi territorial waters and the shipping channels leading to Iraqi ports, as well as supporting […]
By John Lee. Iraqi officials held separate meetings with the Turkish ambassador to Iraq and a delegation of Turkish businessmen this week, focusing on expanding investment and trade cooperation between the two countries. According to the Prime Minister's Media Office, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi received Turkish ambassador to Iraq Anil Bora Inan, along with representatives […]
By John Lee. Gulftainer has launched its first dedicated feeder service linking the UAE and Umm Qasr, seventeen years after the company established Iraq's first modern container terminal at the port in 2009. According to Gulftainer, the new service is operated under the company's shipping arm, GT Lines, and connects Umm Qasr directly to UAE […]
By John Lee. Syria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have held talks on establishing a logistics corridor linking Syrian ports with Gulf markets via Iraq. According to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Qutaiba Badawi, Chairman of Syria's General Authority for Land and Sea Ports, met a delegation that included UAE Chargé d'Affaires […]
By John Lee. A weekly shipping service has been launched linking Abu Dhabi's Khalifa Port with Umm Qasr Port in Iraq, aimed at enhancing trade flows across the region. According to Abu Dhabi Ports (AD Ports Group), the service addresses growing container and Ro-Ro cargo volumes and is designed to strengthen connectivity between Lebanon, Syria, […]
By John Lee. A Chinese cargo vessel has docked at Umm Qasr North Port on the first direct sailing from China via the Strait of Hormuz since the resumption of maritime navigation through the strait. According to the Ministry of Transport, the MV KSL Xinyang arrived on Monday carrying a mixed cargo of oil sector […]
By John Lee. A mass public vehicle crossing has taken place inside the submerged tunnel at Al Faw Grand Port marking what the General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI) has described as a historic milestone in the development of one of Iraq's most complex engineering projects. According to the Iraqi News Agency, the crossing took […]
By John Lee. The Iraqi Ministry of Transport has reported continued arrivals of cargo vessels at Iraqi ports during March, reflecting ongoing maritime trade activity despite regional tensions. According to the ministry, maritime agencies of the State Company for Maritime Transport (SCMT) have continued to provide services to incoming vessels, while cargo handling operations are […]
From Kapita Research. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq's 2026 Customs Reset Iraq's main ports have been partially paralyzed since the start of 2026. The cause is not a physical blockade but the activation of a new digital customs system […]
By John Lee. Iraq's General Customs Authority has announced temporary exceptional measures to accelerate the flow of goods and reduce congestion at ports. According to state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA), the authority said the measures were adopted in line with directives from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and in response to exceptional regional conditions affecting ports […]
By John Lee. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is investing in Aloreen Company for Investments Limited to finance new port equipment and expand capacity at Umm Qasr, Iraq's only deep-water port. The financing package will support the procurement of: Four ship-to-shore cranes; Ten rubber-tyred gantry cranes. The investment […]
By John Lee. Gulftainer has reported a 28 percent increase in throughput and container handling at its Iraq Container Terminal (ICT) at the start of 2026 compared with the same period last year. The company attributed the growth to expanded carrier services, an enhanced product portfolio and improved operational performance, strengthening the terminal's role as a […]
