Al-Shammari: The continued export of oil using the bidding system reflects a flaw in the performance of the Ministry of Oil.
Al-Shammari: The continued export of oil using the bidding system reflects a flaw in the performance of the Ministry of Oil.
11-14-2026
Information/Special…
MP Mohammed Jabbar al-Shammari asserted on Saturday that Iraq’s continued reliance on the bidding system for oil represents a failure on the part of the Ministry of Oil. He held the ministry and its minister responsible for not prioritizing the acquisition of oil tankers, which would enhance Iraq’s ability to market its oil wealth.
Al-Shammari told Al-Maalouma, “The minister who has been managing the Ministry of Oil for four years without presenting a serious proposal to purchase oil tankers and address this issue bears responsibility for the mismanagement of the sector.” He explained that “Iraq owning a fleet of tankers would strengthen its capacity to manage oil transportation and marketing operations.”
He added, “The primary responsibility lies with the Ministry of Oil, as it is the entity concerned with preparing the necessary plans and projects to develop the oil sector,” and with establishing “solutions that ensure the utilization of Iraqi capabilities and reduce reliance on existing mechanisms.”
Al-Shammari stated that “the continuation of the current system raises questions about why practical steps haven’t been taken to address this issue,” emphasizing “the need for the Ministry to present a clear vision and implementable proposals to develop oil marketing and transportation operations.
” He pointed out that “if the Minister of Oil submitted a project to purchase tankers and the government didn’t approve it, this reveals a governmental flaw in dealing with this matter,” stressing that “the responsibility doesn’t rest solely with the Ministry, but extends to the relevant government bodies responsible for decision-making and providing the necessary allocations.”
It’s worth noting that Iraq relies on the Free on Board (FOB) system for selling oil, which leads to a lower price per barrel, whereas purchasing modern oil tankers would have saved the state treasury these funds. Iraq continues to sell under this system because its current tankers are small and don’t meet expectations, unlike modern tankers capable of transporting a million barrels or more directly to the consumer.
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