Iraqi ports see surge in ship traffic and revenue in January

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s General Company for Ports reported a boost in ship traffic and revenue for January, signifying a positive growth period for the sector.

Company director Farhan Al-Fartousi announced that 370 vessels utilized Iraq’s commercial and oil ports last month, including 167 import vessels and 203 export vessels, leading to a rise in port revenues that surpassed 74.5 billion Iraqi dinars for the month.

Individual port performances saw the North Port of Umm Qasr generate the highest revenue at over 31 billion dinars. Khor Al-Zubair Port followed with 14.2 billion dinars, while the South Port of Umm Qasr and Abu Flous Port brought in 6.2 billion and 825 million dinars, respectively.

Service revenues contributed further, exceeding 22 billion dinars with activities like piloting, escorting, berthing, and unberthing alongside mooring operations in oil ports. Container handling also witnessed a spike, with 74,700 containers imported and 71,500 exported.

The revenue growth aligns with the government’s strategic plans aimed at infrastructure rehabilitation and new project launches across most Iraqi ports.