Latest news with #FarhanAlFartousi
Arab News
09-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Iraq nears completion of Grand Faw Port, launches $600m Baghdad airport tender
RIYADH: Iraq's transport landscape is set for a major upgrade as it nears completion of its Grand Faw Port and launches a $600 million tender to redevelop Baghdad Airport through private investment. The Ministry of Transport said in a statement that work on the flagship port project has reached key milestones, despite ongoing challenges. The progress on these infrastructure projects aligns with Iraq Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy, reduce oil dependency, and boost non-oil sectors like logistics and tourism for long-term growth. Farhan Al-Fartousi, director general of the General Co. for Ports of Iraq, said that dredging work on the port's navigation channel is 92 percent complete, while the container yard has reached 94 percent completion. The 63-km access road connecting the port to the national highway network is also finished. 'The submerged tunnel project is going according to what is planned, as the third piece has been successfully completed, and the engineering teams are preparing to start the process of bringing the fourth piece in the coming days, after completing all the necessary technical and logistical recalls,' the release said, citing Al-Fartousi. The tunnel comprises 10 segments, stretching 2,444 meters in total, with 1,226 meters submerged underwater. The ministry is finalizing operational procedures for the port, which will soon be submitted to the Cabinet for approval. Once approved, 11 leading global port operators will compete for the management contract. The ministry said that Container Terminal No. 1 will meet high technical specifications and be operated by a world-class firm, ensuring the port's success as a strategic regional hub. The transport ministry also unveiled plans for a public-private partnership to modernize Baghdad International Airport, in collaboration with the International Finance Corp., a World Bank affiliate. The government has opted for a public-private partnership model to overcome budget constraints and alleviate fiscal pressures, according to a separate ministry statement. The approach also aims to leverage private-sector expertise to accelerate infrastructure development, improve service quality, and create jobs while driving economic growth. 'This initiative aligns with a broader development strategy and does not entail relinquishing the state's sovereign role. Rather, it aims to enhance operational efficiency and ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality services to travelers,' the statement said. The IFC, serving as a non-profit adviser, is supporting Iraq in conducting feasibility studies and organizing a transparent international tender for the project. Under the agreement, the government will retain control over sovereign functions such as immigration, customs, air traffic control, and fuel storage. The private operator will be responsible for terminal operations, security screening, infrastructure upgrades, logistics systems, ground handling, and air cargo services. The $400–600 million investment will be fully privately financed, with the airport initially accommodating 9 million passengers annually before expanding to 15 million. Bidding closes in September, and the selected operator will share annual gross revenue with the government. The project is expected to generate at least 12,000 new direct jobs, the statement said. The progress on Iraq's Grand Faw Port and Baghdad Airport redevelopment aligns with the broader goals outlined in the country's Vision 2030, which emphasizes infrastructure development as a pillar of economic diversification and private-sector growth. The vision, spearheaded by the Ministry of Planning, prioritizes modernizing transport networks, enhancing regional connectivity, and leveraging public-private partnerships to overcome fiscal constraints, mirroring the airport project's model. The vision's 'Diversified Economy' pillar calls for advanced infrastructure to stimulate trade and job creation, while its governance reforms stress transparency in tenders, as seen in the IFC-backed airport bid.
Zawya
08-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Iraq completes most of Faw port
Iraq has finished the bulk of the infrastructure of one of the world's largest container terminals in the Southern Faw Peninsula, a senior port official has said. The OPEC producer has also completed the construction of a road that will link Faw Port to the 1,200-km Development Road, which traverses most of Iraq's provinces towards the Northern border with Turkey. Ports Director Farhan Al-Fartousi provided a detailed update on Al Faw Grand Port during a meeting headed by Transport Minister Abdul Razzak Al-Saadawi on Monday. He said around 92 percent of the navigational channel and 94 percent of the container yard have been finished, adding that the full delivery of all five berths was completed in November last year. He also confirmed that the linking road project has reached 100 percent completion, with discussions ongoing about management and operation strategies ahead of its opening to global investors. A ministry statement said the meeting focused on the detailed design phase of the $17-billion Development Road, with expectations to present a first executable segment to major global firms by the end of this year. (Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon) (
Zawya
04-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Iraq to select global operator for Faw Port's superstructure phase
The General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI) is preparing to select an international operator for the Al Faw Grand Port's superstructure phase, the state-owned company's director general told Iraqi News Agency (INA) on Thursday. The mega port project is located in the south of Iraq in Basra. Farhan Al-Fartousi said 11 international companies were invited to bid for the contract, adding that the contract will be awarded to the operator that best meets the port's operational and commercial needs, supported by a detailed feasibility study addressing volume and return expectations. In November 2024, Reuters had reported that the 11 shortlisted companies for the operator contract included China Merchants Port Group Co., Taiwanese container shipping line Evergreen, French shipping group CMA CGM, Switzerland's Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), India's Adani, Philippines-headquartered International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI), China's Cosco, and UAE-based ABM Global Shipping. Al-Fartousi said the Al Faw Grand Port's master plan has been designed to accommodate vessels with drafts up to 16.4 metres with depth reserves have been incorporated to enable further scalability. He said the Port's infrastructure phase is nearing completion, including all the announced berths and key components of the port's link road. To support safe navigation for larger vessels, Al-Fartousi said the company plans to install an integrated system of buoys and sensors. Unlike the Khor Abdullah Channel, where navigational buoys are spaced at 3 nautical miles, Faw will reduce this to 1.5–2 miles due to the port's increased traffic and draft requirements. Two towers are also set to be constructed near the breakwater to monitor environmental and navigational conditions such as wind speed, wave height, and tides. Additionally, a global vessel tracking system will be introduced to monitor and manage maritime traffic within Iraqi territorial waters. The $5 billion Phase 1 of Faw Port is scheduled to be commissioned before the end of 2025, according to an April 2025 Zawya Projects report. (Writing by Majda Muhsen; Editing by Anoop Menon)
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Iraq reports completion of part of 'Development Road'
Iraq has completed the first section of the Development Road project and started the handover process, the General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI) has announced. Company Director Farhan Al-Fartousi said the road is being built with three lanes designated for heavy trucks and cargo. 'The first section of the road stretches from Grand Al-Faw Port to the submerged tunnel, covering 51 kilometres (km), and then continues from the tunnel to the main Safwan road for an additional 11km, bringing the total length of this segment to 62 km,' he said, quoted by Shafaq News and other Iraqi outlets on Sunday. The project includes two major bridges—one measuring 805 metres and the other 300 metres in length, he noted. The road will also be equipped with a solar-powered lighting system implemented by South Korea's Samsung company, aimed at providing sustainable energy and advanced technology, he added. Last month, Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced that Ankara intends to finalise an agreement with Iraq 'very soon' on the Development Road project. The Grand Al-Faw Port is a strategic megaproject located on Al-Faw Peninsula in Basra province, southern Iraq. It aims to transform the country into a regional trade hub by connecting it to global transport networks. The port project is estimated to cost around $4.6 billion and spans 54 square km. It is expected to have a capacity of 99 million tonnes annually, positioning it among the largest ports in the Gulf and the tenth largest globally. (Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)
