Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq’s Ministry of Transport is moving to activate two major maritime infrastructure projects—a new floating dock and an integrated shipyards city—financed under the Japanese official development assistance (ODA) loan framework.
The initiative is aimed at expanding vessel repair, maintenance, and auxiliary maritime services across Iraqi ports, coinciding with significant construction milestones at the strategic Grand Faw Port in Basra.
According to statements delivered to the official newspaper by Hussein Ahmed, Director of Media and Government Communications at the Ministry of Transport, ministry officials held technical consultations with representatives of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loan authority.
The discussions centered on selecting construction locations and addressing civil and logistical engineering requirements for both the floating dry dock and the specialized shipyard zone to modernize national maritime support capabilities.
The operational expansion coincides with near-completion across primary infrastructure phases at the Grand Faw Port. General Director of the General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI), Abdullah Aati Abdullah, announced that the port’s core breakwater works have reached 100% completion.
Additionally, the submerged immersed tunnel connecting the port to Umm Qasr has achieved a 98% execution rate, while foundational infrastructure across the facility stands at 94%.
Speaking at a press conference, Abdullah stated that technical teams are preparing to transition toward superstructure and terminal installation phases under the oversight of Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi and Transport Minister Wahab Al-Hasani.
Abdullah confirmed that preliminary operational trials are scheduled to commence in the upcoming period. He noted that while broader regional shipping traffic has felt the ripple effects of security dynamics around the Strait of Hormuz, work remains focused on expanding container handling capacity, securing yard storage, and cementing Grand Faw’s position as a regional logistics hub connecting the Gulf to Europe.
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