After a hiatus of more than half a century, the Iraqi maritime line resumes its voyages.

After a hiatus of more than half a century, the Iraqi maritime line resumes its voyages.

14/10/2026

Baghdad – From Jebel Ali port in the United Arab Emirates to Umm Qasr port in Basra , the Iraqi maritime carrier is preparing to return to regional trade routes, via a trial voyage expected to transport about 500 containers of various cargoes.

This move returns Iraqi ships to a shipping route they have been cut off from since the mid-1960s, and presents them with a test that goes beyond sailing to the ability to compete and continue in turbulent regional conditions.

The Iraqi Ministry of Transport announced that the first trip of the maritime transport line known as the “Iraqi Line” is scheduled for October 15, as part of its plans to revitalize the national carrier and enhance the movement of goods through Iraqi ports.

But restoring this route after decades of inactivity tests the background of the hiatus, the feasibility of returning, and Iraq’s ability to expand its maritime presence in a region whose trade routes are affected by security tensions, particularly the situation in the Strait of Hormuz .

Competition on transportation costs
Iraqi maritime transport spokesman Talib al-Badiri told Al Jazeera Net that Iraqi ships, including (Basra, Hadbaa, Baghdad and Muthanna), are ready to set sail after completing preparations and training the maritime crews.

Al-Badiri describes the reactivation of the Iraqi maritime line as a “national and sovereign project” that is relied upon to reactivate the role of the Iraqi carrier in the movement of goods.

The Iraqi Ministry of Transport announced the first voyage of the Iraqi Shipping Line on October 15th.
According to Al-Badiri, the importance of the line extends beyond simply resuming voyages; it also includes offering competitive shipping costs for traders. The fuel used by Iraqi tankers is subsidized by the Ministry of Oil, and the Iraqi government’s ownership of the vessels allows them direct access to Iraqi ports, bypassing waiting lists in anchorage areas, which can shorten transit times and reduce cargo costs.

However, security developments in the region represent one of the most significant challenges to these plans. According to Al-Badiri, the ongoing war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz necessitate the search for alternative routes that allow trade to continue and reduce reliance on waterways affected by regional tensions.

Avoid passing through Hormuz
In this context, Al-Badiri explains that Iraqi maritime transport is studying options to expand the movement of goods from Asian markets, including China and India , via routes that avoid passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

One of the proposed options is transporting cargo overland to Omani ports, then continuing the journey by sea through the UAE to Basra. This route is still under consideration, but it reflects a trend toward exploring logistical alternatives that ensure the smooth flow of trade under the current circumstances.

Iraqi maritime transport: The Iraqi shipping line is capable of providing competitive transport costs, and its fuel is subsidized by the Ministry of Oil.
The Iraqi shipping line is able to provide competitive transport costs and its fuel is subsidized by the Ministry of Oil (Al Jazeera).
The return of the Iraqi shipping line comes at a time when navigation in the Gulf is facing security disturbances related to the war between the United States and Iran, which has led to a decline in ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to low levels as risks and attacks on commercial vessels escalate, after about 20% of the world’s supplies of crude oil, its derivatives and liquefied natural gas passed through the strait before the outbreak of the Iran war .

Integrated transport network
The reactivation of the Iraqi maritime line falls within the Iraqi Ministry of Transport’s direction to revitalize its productive sectors and maximize non-oil revenues, after Baghdad’s oil revenues declined due to the disruption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large part of Iraqi oil exports used to pass.

Hussein Ahmed Al-Karbalai, the ministry’s media and communications director, explained to Al Jazeera Net that activating the maritime carrier comes within a broader plan to revitalize land, sea and air transport, and enhance the contribution of these sectors to state revenues.

He emphasizes that the ministry does not aim to exclude other transport companies or the private sector, but rather seeks to integrate with them and expand the movement of goods.

Karbalai links the success of the line to its ability to integrate into the regional transport network, through agreements related to international cross-border land transport and multimodal shipping, which combines more than one means of transporting goods within a single route.

Umm Qasr port in Basra, southern Iraq, is a point of departure and arrival for ships.
Umm Qasr port in Basra, southern Iraq, is a departure and arrival point for ships (Al Jazeera).
This vision extends to the Development Road project , which Baghdad is counting on to link trade routes between East and West, and to strengthen Iraq’s position as a corridor for transport and trade exchange.

However, the integration of sea, land and rail routes remains a goal that requires operational arrangements, investments and agreements to ensure the efficient movement of goods between different modes of transport.

The Roots of Iraqi Maritime Transport
The roots of Iraqi commercial maritime transport go back to 1952, when the Iraqi Maritime Transport Company was established under Law No. 76, with the aim of purchasing and leasing ships and accepting agencies for shipping companies.

In 1959, the company opened a branch in Basra, before taking delivery in 1962 of two steamers, the 14 Tammuz and Abdul Karim Qasim , which was later known as the 14 Ramadan.

As its operations expanded, the company operated a regular line linking ports in Northern Europe and England with ports in the Arabian Gulf, and its fleet at that stage expanded to include ships from Russia, Japan, and Germany.

These stations show that Iraqi maritime transport had, in previous stages, an operational network that extended beyond local ports, as part of a trend to strengthen the state’s role in transporting goods and foreign trade.

Between the trial voyage and the study of expanding the Iraqi maritime network, hope remains pinned on the return of the shipping line to providing a regular and economically viable service. Reviving the route after more than half a century represents a new beginning for the national carrier, and restoring its role in regional trade depends on its ability to offer competitive pricing, consistent service, and the capacity to operate amidst the risks of regional and global shipping.

aljazeera.net