Latest news with #Al-Fartousi
Iraqi News
22-05-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
Iraq makes great progress in Al-Faw Grad Port's underwater tunnel
Baghdad ( – The General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI) declared substantial progress on Wednesday in the construction of the submerged tunnel as part of the Al-Faw Grand Port project. This milestone was highlighted by completing the installation of the third concrete section, which was one of the project's most sensitive engineering stages, demanding extreme accuracy and excellent technical coordination, according to a statement released by the GCPI. GCPI's director, Farhan Al-Fartousi, stated that the third section has been precisely positioned in the waterway. The installation of the third concrete section was completed in approximately four to five hours, bringing the total length of the structure under the Khor Al-Zubair Channel to 567 meters, as stated by Al-Fartousi. The water level above the third segment is expected to reach approximately 15 meters, demonstrating the process's effectiveness in achieving the specified design depth in line with the technical standards required for submerged tunnels. The underwater tunnel forms part of the new highway being built to link the Al-Faw Grand Port to Umm Qasr Port and the existing transport network, including Iraq's strategic project of the Development Road. The Iraqi Minister of Transport, Razzaq Al-Saadawi, revealed in March that the first phase of the Al-Faw Grand Port will be completed by the end of 2025. The first phase of the project consists of five piers, which have been completely finished; a 62-kilometer road that connects the Al-Faw Grand Port to Umm Qasr port city; a 2,400-meter-long submerged tunnel; a ship canal; and a container yard, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). The Al-Faw Grand Port is located on the Khor Abdallah Channel, near the mouth of Shatt Al-Arab. According to Maritime Gateway News, the five container shipping berths, which have been constructed by Daewoo E&C, a company located in South Korea, can each hold ships up to 23,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). With 100 berths and the capacity to handle 7.5 million TEU annually, the Al-Faw Grand Port is expected to surpass Dubai's 67-berth Jebel Ali as the largest container port in the Middle East when finished in 2038. Four million TEU of containers may be handled annually by the port's first phase, which is anticipated to be finished in 2028. The $7 billion logistics project, which connects Basra to Turkey via an overland route, will compete with Egypt's Suez Canal and establish Basra as a gateway to Europe. The Development Road is a strategic initiative aimed at connecting Asia and Europe via gas and oil pipelines, train networks, and highways.
Shafaq News
12-05-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraq's seaports generate +$215M in revenue in 2025 Q1
Shafaq News/ Iraq's seaports generated over 314 billion Iraqi dinars in revenue during the first quarter of 2025, the General Company for Ports of Iraq announced on Monday. Director General Farhan Al-Fartousi stated that total earnings from January through March reached 314.33B IQD (about $215.3M), with monthly revenues of 109.26B IQD in January ($74.6M), 98.73B IQD in February ($67.4M), and 106.33B IQD in March ($73M), crediting the gains to robust activity at major ports, including North and South Umm Qasr, Khor Al-Zubair, Abu Flous, and various oil export terminals. 'These figures reflect the impact of our ongoing development strategy to modernize maritime trade infrastructure,' Al-Fartousi remarked, highlighting enhanced cargo handling capacity, upgraded logistics systems, and expanded port facilities as key contributors. He added that the company remains committed to its broader expansion agenda, which includes modernizing berths, enlarging cargo storage areas, and implementing digital platforms to streamline customs and clearance procedures. 'Our broader goal is to strengthen Iraq's position on the regional and global maritime transport map.'
Shafaq News
12-05-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Khor al-Zubair Q1 oil tankers surpass 200
Shafaq News/ Iraq's Khor al-Zubair Oil Port received 207 oil tankers in the first quarter of 2025, the General Company for Ports of Iraq announced on Monday. Director General Farhan Al-Fartousi told Shafaq News Agency that the port successfully facilitated marine services, berthing, fuel loading, and cargo handling for all arriving vessels. 'All operations were executed efficiently under the oversight of the maritime control unit.' In February, Al-Fartousi also announced an 'unprecedented' achievement in Iraq's history—namely, the adoption of a certified IMSAS (IMO Member State Audit Scheme) system, approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Shafaq News
19-04-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Underwater progress: Second section of Grand Faw Tunnel successfully submerged
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Iraq marked the completion of a key phase in the construction of the immersed tunnel at Grand Faw Port, a major infrastructure project underway in the southern province of Basra. In an interview with Shafaq News, Farhan Al-Fartousi, director of the General Company for Ports of Iraq, confirmed that the second segment of the tunnel was successfully positioned beneath the Khor al-Zubair navigation channel. The section was submerged to a depth of 23 meters, with 12 meters of water above it. Measuring 126 meters in length and weighing 45,000 tonnes, the segment is equipped with advanced balance and guidance systems that enabled accurate placement and alignment with the first segment previously installed. With the second segment in place, the completed portion of the tunnel now extends 441 meters out of a planned total of 1,244 meters. In February, the company reported that the project contractor had started installing flotation devices, GPS systems, and surveying towers on the first tunnel segment in preparation for its immersion. These tools were used to ensure precise alignment of the structure beneath the navigation channel. Al-Fartousi noted that all technical aspects of the tunnel are under close supervision by the company's engineering teams in coordination with an Italian consultancy. He emphasized the importance of precision in the planning and execution process, stating that 'every calculation must be exact; there is no margin for error in a project of this scale and complexity.' The immersed tunnel forms part of the strategic Grand Faw Port project. Once completed, it will link the Faw Peninsula with the Umm Qasr area through an underwater route. The company expects construction of the tunnel to be finalized by the end of this year.
Iraqi News
19-04-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
Grand Faw Port Submerged Tunnel Second Section Completed by GCPI
GCPI Announces Completion of Placing the Second Section of the Submerged Tunnel at the Grand Faw Port Baghdad - INA The General Company for Iraqi Ports announced today, Saturday, the completion of the Placing of the Second Section of the Submerged Tunnel as part of the Grand Faw Port Project. The Company's Director General, Farhan Al-Fartousi, said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The engineering teams implementing the Submerged Tunnel Project were able to complete the Placing of the Second Section of the Tunnel after implementing a complex engineering operation that took place under the Khor Al-Zubair Navigational Canal, with a digging depth of 23 meters and a water level of 12 meters above the section." He added, "The completion of the Placing of the Second Section represents a qualitative advance in the implementation of the Submerged Tunnel and enhances the pace of work towards the completion of this strategic project, which is the first of its kind in Iraq and the Middle East." He explained that "the second section was entirely manufactured inside the designated dry dock, measuring (126) meters in length and weighing (45) thousand tons. It was equipped with advanced systems for balancing and steering, enabling it to be lowered and connected with high precision to the first section, becoming an effective part of the tunnel's structural framework." He pointed out that "the total length of the tunnel sections in contact with the water, including the sections within the Khor Al-Zubair Canal and the Umm Qasr approach, currently stands at (441) meters out of (1244) meters." He explained that "the tunnel, whose total length exceeds (2.4) km, is being implemented using the submerged tunnel method and to international specifications unprecedented in Iraq and the region." He added that "the tunnel will constitute a vital artery linking the Grand Faw Port to the Umm Qasr Port via an underwater land corridor, as part of the integrated transportation system, and will contribute to strengthening Iraq's role as a pivotal hub for maritime and land transportation in the region." According to the statement, Al-Fartousi praised the combined efforts of Iraqi personnel and the implementing foreign companies, saying, "The accomplishments we are witnessing today are the fruit of fruitful cooperation between Iraqi minds and international expertise, and reflect Iraq's ability to confidently move forward with the implementation of mega projects that match international standards."
