Iraq steps up sea patrols to secure territorial waters

Shafaq News – Basra

On Tuesday, Iraq’s Ports Authority launched a wide-scale preemptive security campaign to inspect territorial waters and strategic maritime corridors.

Speaking with Shafaq News, the Director-General of the General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI), Farhan Al-Fartousi, noted that the operation began in coordination with military and security agencies at marker 162—the final navigation point in the Khor Abdullah waterway—moving outward toward the open sea.

“We have intelligence on some ships and will carry out full inspections as part of this operation,” Al-Fartousi revealed, adding that the campaign is a proactive step to control the movements of suspicious vessels operating within Iraqi waters.

He added that the GCPI is the official authority responsible for maritime operations within Iraqi territorial waters and works in coordination with the Maritime Authority, which issues security approvals and entry permits for all vessels.