Aqaba port receives a ship carrying more than 40,000 tons of American rice for Iraq
Aqaba port receives a ship carrying more than 40,000 tons of American rice for Iraq
2026-05-31
Shafaq News – Baghdad / Amman
The General Company for Foodstuff Trading, affiliated with the Iraqi Ministry of Trade, announced on Sunday the arrival of the ship (EQUINOX DREAM) loaded with 44,000 tons of American rice for the benefit of Iraq to the Jordanian port of Aqaba, despite the current circumstances and the difficulty of maritime navigation as a result of the security situation and the challenges that the region is witnessing.
The company’s director, Lama Hashim Al-Mousawi, confirmed in a statement that the preparation of food basket and social care items continues according to the marketing plan prepared for 2026, which ensures the smooth provision of food items despite the challenges and exceptional circumstances. She pointed out that the company continues to monitor the movement of shipping and unloading and coordinate with the concerned authorities to ensure that the materials reach the warehouses in all governorates of Iraq and the distribution branches without delay, within the framework of efforts aimed at maintaining the stability of supplying citizens with basic materials and providing food security.
This comes in conjunction with the recent announcement by the Director General of the Aqaba Ports Management and Operation Company, Mahmoud Khleifat, that five ships have docked at the Aqaba port, loaded with various goods and foodstuffs for the benefit of Iraq.
The shipments include rice, corn, sugar, iron, and wood, which are goods in transit destined for Iraqi markets, coinciding with the continuation of geopolitical turmoil and the impact on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
Jordanian media quoted Khalifat as saying that Iraq resorted to the port of Aqaba to carry out import operations about two months ago, due to developments in regional events, adding that the volume of handling at the oil berth in the port has reached about two million tons since the beginning of this year, compared to 1.4 million tons during 2024, recording an increase of nearly 70 percent.
Khalifat noted that the port also received 100,000 tons of vegetable oils destined for Iraq via four ships, while two additional ships carrying about 65,000 tons are currently waiting to unload their cargo.
shafaq.com
