Iraq Revives Gulf Shipping Route After 50-Year Hiatus

By Staff, Agencies

Iraq’s Ministry of Transport announced Monday that state-owned Iraqi Line will resume regular maritime service across the Gulf on October 15, more than 50 years after its last scheduled voyages.

The first sailing will depart Jebel Ali Port in the UAE for Umm Qasr Port in southern Iraq.

The ministry said the move, ordered by Transport Minister Wahab al-Hasani, aims to revive national shipping assets, strengthen Iraq’s maritime presence and provide merchants with a state-backed option for bulk and containerized imports. It also seeks to increase cargo through federal ports and expand Iraq’s integration into regional supply chains.

According to ministry records, Iraqi-flagged cargo ships last operated scheduled commercial Gulf routes in the mid-1960s.

Umm Qasr, Iraq’s main commercial port and only deep-water gateway, handles most imports, including food, medicine and other essential goods. Jebel Ali is among the Gulf’s largest container hubs, making the route a key link for Iraqi trade.

The revival comes as the Strait of Hormuz crisis continues to disrupt shipping. Since the US-“Israeli” war on Iran began on February 28, larger vessels have been unable to reach Umm Qasr, forcing cargo to be unloaded in the UAE and transported onward by truck and smaller ships. By late July, port operations had nearly stalled, while AFP reported in September that the port was largely deserted.

Still, traffic has fluctuated with conditions. Six vessels docked at Umm Qasr North Port in April after Iran granted Iraq an exemption from its shipping restrictions, while more than 80 vessels arrived in June, including a ship sailing directly from China.

Meanwhile, Iraq is seeking alternatives to routes exposed to Hormuz. Crude accounts for nearly 90% of the country’s foreign revenue, with most exports previously passing through the strait from Basra. On October 4, Iraq’s state tanker company moved crude beyond Hormuz for the first time in decades.

Baghdad has also relied on the Iraq-Turkey pipeline and trucking crude north to Kirkuk, while rising shipping risks have pushed Iraq to offer discounted Basra port rates and encouraged buyers to seek deliveries outside the waterway.