Iraq to relaunch national shipping line and advance Syria oil pipeline

Iraq is preparing to relaunch its national maritime shipping line, ‘Iraqi Line’, after a hiatus of more than 50 years. The first commercial voyages are scheduled to begin on October 15, traveling between Jebel Ali port in the United Arab Emirates and Umm Qasr port in Iraq. This initiative aims to diversify Iraq's non-oil economy, enhance regional trade, and provide a national option for transporting containers and goods, reducing reliance on foreign carriers.

Simultaneously, the Syrian Petroleum Company is planning to implement a project to construct an oil pipeline connecting Iraq to the Syrian coast on the Mediterranean Sea. Construction is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2027. The project is currently in the preliminary engineering design phase. This development comes as Syria seeks to secure additional energy supplies to meet the growing demand for gas required to operate its power generation stations.