Iraq nears completion of major Al-Faw Port projects

Shafaq News/ Key components of the Grand Al-Faw Port project have reached advanced stages of completion, Iraq’s General Company for Ports announced on Saturday.

The company’s Director General Farhan Al-Fartousi told Shafaq News that construction of the port’s five berths had been finalized, while 85% of the navigation channel is complete and the submerged tunnel stood at 70%. Additionally, progress on the container yard had reached 89%, and the access road connecting the port to the highway network is 99% complete.

“These projects are expected to be fully delivered within this year, as part of a comprehensive execution plan developed by the company,” Al-Fartousi revealed, noting that a fully integrated electronic project management system had been deployed, covering modern protection and monitoring technologies in cooperation with major international firms such as Daewoo Engineering & Construction and Italy’s Technital.

The concrete wall for the berths was completed in 2024, foundations were laid, and work began on the container yard. Construction efforts are proceeding in parallel, with a focus on delivering the final five projects simultaneously.

Earlier this week, Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu stated that Turkiye plans to finalize an agreement with Iraq “very soon” to connect the Iraqi port of Al-Faw to Turkish territory.

Located on the Al-Faw Peninsula in southern Basra province, the Grand Al-Faw Port is a strategic development aimed at transforming Iraq into a regional trade hub by linking it to global transport networks.

The $4.6 billion project spans 54 square kilometers and is expected to handle up to 99 million tons annually, making it one of the largest ports in the Gulf and the tenth-largest globally. The planned depth of 19 meters will enable it to accommodate the world’s largest commercial vessels.