Latest news with #GeneralCompanyforPortsofIraq
Shafaq News
8 hours ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraq receives new generation of port cranes
Shafaq News – Basra Iraq has begun deploying a new fleet of advanced container-handling cranes to boost efficiency at its ports, the General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI) announced on Friday. GCPI Director General Farhan al-Fartousi told Shafaq News that 14 cutting-edge cranes had been delivered—four bridge-type Gantry Cranes and ten rubber-tired gantry (RTG) cranes—designed to accelerate container operations across port yards. Built by China's ZBMC, the new equipment is equipped with smart communication systems that enable semi-automated operation with minimal human input. 'This represents a qualitative leap for Iraqi ports,' al-Fartousi said, noting that the upgrade strengthens Iraq's competitiveness in regional shipping and logistics. Located in the south, Basra's ports handle the majority of Iraq's commercial cargo and oil exports, though years of underinvestment and dependence on outdated machinery have long limited their performance.
Shafaq News
09-07-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraq moves to tighten maritime control over Khor Abdullah
Shafaq News – Basra Iraq is stepping up joint efforts to secure the Khor Abdullah channel and its territorial waters, with officials calling the move essential to safeguarding the country's maritime authority and ensuring safe commercial passage. The decision follows a high-level coordination meeting held Wednesday at the headquarters of the General Company for Ports of Iraq in Basra, between the company's director general, Farhan Al-Fartousi, and other senior officials. 'This is no longer a routine task,' Al-Fartousi told Shafaq News. 'Protecting navigation in Khor Abdullah and our territorial waters is a national obligation tied directly to Iraq's maritime sovereignty.' Participants agreed on a unified course of action that includes regular naval patrols, advanced monitoring systems, rapid response protocols, clear operational responsibilities, and upgraded maritime surveillance infrastructure. The meeting ended with a joint commitment to activate naval command and control centers and maintain continuous coordination to defend Iraq's maritime borders and strategic interests in the Gulf. The status of Khor Abdullah, Iraq's critical maritime outlet, is under renewed focus following a September 2023 Iraqi Federal Supreme Court ruling that annulled a 2013 navigation agreement. Citing constitutional flaws in its ratification, this decision has reignited discussions surrounding the waterway's legal framework. Iraqi leadership, after initial appeals, now aims for parliamentary re-legislation to address the court's concerns and clarify navigation rights.
Iraqi News
06-07-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
Iraq to choose foreign firm to finish Al-Faw Grand Port's superstructure
Baghdad ( – The director of the General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI), Farhan Al-Fartousi, revealed on Thursday that the infrastructure phase of the Al-Faw Grand Port will be completed soon and that an internationally recognized operator is being chosen to complete the superstructure. Al-Fartousi told the state-run news agency (INA) that 11 foreign firms were asked to bid on a contract and that it would be awarded to the operator who best fits the port's operational and commercial demands, as backed by a full feasibility assessment covering volume and return expectations. The Iraqi Minister of Transport, Razzaq Al-Saadawi, revealed in March that the first phase of the Al-Faw Grand Port will be completed by the end of 2025. The first phase of the project consists of five piers, which have been completely finished; a 62-kilometer road that connects the Al-Faw Grand Port to Umm Qasr port city; a 2,400-meter-long submerged tunnel; a ship canal; and a container yard, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). The Al-Faw Grand Port is located on the Khor Abdallah Channel, near the mouth of Shatt Al-Arab. According to Maritime Gateway News, the five container shipping berths, which have been constructed by Daewoo E&C, a company located in South Korea, can each hold ships up to 23,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). With 100 berths and the potential to accommodate 7.5 million TEU per year, the Al-Faw Grand Port is projected to overtake Dubai's 67-berth Jebel Ali as the Middle East's largest container port when completed in 2038. The port's first phase, which is expected to be completed in 2028, has the potential to accommodate four million TEU of cargo per year. The $7 billion logistics project, which connects Basra to Turkey by land, will compete with Egypt's Suez Canal and establish Basra as a gateway to Europe.
Shafaq News
21-06-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraqi oil ports 'UNAFFECTED' by regional tensions
Shafaq News/ Iraq's oil and commercial ports are functioning without disruption despite heightened security tensions across the region, the General Company for Ports of Iraq confirmed on Saturday. Speaking to Shafaq News, the company's Director General, Farhan Al-Fartousi, reported that maritime traffic at the Basra Oil Terminal and offshore single point moorings (SPMs) remains steady, with large tankers continuing to dock, offload, and depart according to schedule. 'All marine units are functioning under well-defined operational plans that ensure safety and continuity,' Al-Fartousi added, stressing that between June 1 and 20, a total of 48 oil tankers arrived at Iraqi ports. The reassurance comes as regional tensions mount sharply following Israel's launch of Operation Rising Lion — a series of targeted strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities. Iran has retaliated with True Promise 3, its most extensive direct attack on Israeli territory to date. The Iranian operation has so far involved 18 waves of missile and drone strikes. With both sides signaling the possibility of further escalation, concerns have grown over potential impacts on maritime security, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for nearly 20% of global oil shipments.
Iraqi News
22-05-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
Iraq makes great progress in Al-Faw Grad Port's underwater tunnel
Baghdad ( – The General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI) declared substantial progress on Wednesday in the construction of the submerged tunnel as part of the Al-Faw Grand Port project. This milestone was highlighted by completing the installation of the third concrete section, which was one of the project's most sensitive engineering stages, demanding extreme accuracy and excellent technical coordination, according to a statement released by the GCPI. GCPI's director, Farhan Al-Fartousi, stated that the third section has been precisely positioned in the waterway. The installation of the third concrete section was completed in approximately four to five hours, bringing the total length of the structure under the Khor Al-Zubair Channel to 567 meters, as stated by Al-Fartousi. The water level above the third segment is expected to reach approximately 15 meters, demonstrating the process's effectiveness in achieving the specified design depth in line with the technical standards required for submerged tunnels. The underwater tunnel forms part of the new highway being built to link the Al-Faw Grand Port to Umm Qasr Port and the existing transport network, including Iraq's strategic project of the Development Road. The Iraqi Minister of Transport, Razzaq Al-Saadawi, revealed in March that the first phase of the Al-Faw Grand Port will be completed by the end of 2025. The first phase of the project consists of five piers, which have been completely finished; a 62-kilometer road that connects the Al-Faw Grand Port to Umm Qasr port city; a 2,400-meter-long submerged tunnel; a ship canal; and a container yard, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). The Al-Faw Grand Port is located on the Khor Abdallah Channel, near the mouth of Shatt Al-Arab. According to Maritime Gateway News, the five container shipping berths, which have been constructed by Daewoo E&C, a company located in South Korea, can each hold ships up to 23,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). With 100 berths and the capacity to handle 7.5 million TEU annually, the Al-Faw Grand Port is expected to surpass Dubai's 67-berth Jebel Ali as the largest container port in the Middle East when finished in 2038. Four million TEU of containers may be handled annually by the port's first phase, which is anticipated to be finished in 2028. The $7 billion logistics project, which connects Basra to Turkey via an overland route, will compete with Egypt's Suez Canal and establish Basra as a gateway to Europe. The Development Road is a strategic initiative aimed at connecting Asia and Europe via gas and oil pipelines, train networks, and highways.
