Maritime embargo on Iraq: International restrictions and weak maritime sovereignty due to delayed reforms
Maritime embargo on Iraq: International restrictions and weak maritime sovereignty due to delayed reforms
3-4-2025
Information / Baghdad..
Iraq faces an international maritime embargo due to its failure to comply with the standards set by the International Maritime Organization to regulate maritime traffic, which stipulate that ports should not be militarized. This has led to the imposition of strict restrictions on Iraqi ships, as ships flying the national flag are subject to immediate confiscation upon entering international waters, which has forced Iraq to register its ships under the Jordanian flag in exchange for paying sums of money, which reflects the weakness of Iraqi maritime sovereignty.
Iraq’s failure to comply with these standards is due to a number of factors, most notably the militarization of some ports and the failure to develop maritime infrastructure according to modern standards, in addition to the lack of technical updates required by the international organization for Iraqi ships. These challenges have placed Iraq outside the global maritime system, which has affected its ability to operate its ports and commercial ships freely.
On the subject, the head of the Parliamentary Transport and Communications Committee, Zahra Al-Bajari, confirmed that Iraq pays money to raise the Jordanian flag on its ships due to international restrictions.
Al-Bujari said in a statement to Al-Maalouma Agency, “Iraq did not adhere to the international controls and standards set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to regulate maritime traffic, which led to the imposition of restrictions on its maritime activity,” noting that “international standards require that ports not be militarized, but Iraq still faces challenges in this regard.”
She added that “Iraqi ships flying the national flag are subject to immediate confiscation, which prompts Iraq to register its ships under the Jordanian flag in exchange for paying sums of money, which reflects the weakness of Iraqi maritime sovereignty.”
She pointed out that “the certificates of Iraqi sailors issued by the Egyptian and Jordanian Maritime Academy are not internationally recognized, which constitutes an obstacle to the involvement of Iraqi cadres in the global maritime sector.”
Al-Bujari called on the Ministry of Transport to take the necessary measures to implement all the standards required by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to ensure Iraq’s presence within the international system and enable it to raise its flag on its ships without restrictions.
Iraq is suffering from a delay in amending the Maritime Transport Law, which is a necessary amendment to address the issue of luck. Although the House of Representatives completed the first and second reading of the draft law, disagreements between the Ministry of Transport and Ports and the Maritime Transport Company over the powers and provisions of the law have hindered its passage. In addition, the disruption of the House of Representatives sessions due to disagreements over other laws, such as the Popular Mobilization Forces retirement law, has led to the postponement of discussion of this amendment, which has further complicated the crisis.
The continuation of this situation has major economic and sovereign repercussions, as Iraq is forced to pay additional funds to register its ships under the Jordanian flag, which increases the financial burden on the maritime transport sector. The maritime embargo also affects Iraqi trade and reduces the country’s ability to fully utilize its ports. In addition, Iraq’s continued absence from the international maritime system weakens its international standing and affects its maritime sovereignty.
On the subject, member of the Parliamentary Transport and Communications Committee, Karwan Ali Yarois, says that the naval embargo on Iraq continues due to the delay in amending the law.
Yaroos said in a statement to Al-Maalouma Agency, “The amendment of the Maritime Transport Law, which is necessary to address the issue of the maritime embargo imposed on Iraq, is still facing delays due to the existing disputes between the Ministry of Transport, the ports, and the Maritime Transport Company.”
He explained that “these disagreements relate to defining powers and some articles and paragraphs of the draft law amendment. Although the relevant parliamentary committee completed the first and second readings of the draft law, these disagreements have caused a delay in moving forward with the amendment process.”
He added, “The next step requires the committee to vote on the draft law and sign the voting report, after which it will be submitted to the Presidency of the House of Representatives and included in the agenda.”
He pointed out that “the House of Representatives has not held any session for more than a month due to the ongoing disputes over the Popular Mobilization Forces retirement law, in addition to the internal problems facing the Transport and Communications Committee, which were exacerbated by the boycott of some of its members, which led to breaking the quorum and disrupting the meetings, thus delaying the discussion and approval of the draft law.”
Iraq remains in a difficult position due to the maritime embargo imposed on it, as it is forced to register its ships under the flag of another country due to its failure to comply with the standards of the International Maritime Organization.
Despite parliamentary efforts to resolve this crisis, political and administrative differences are obstructing the amendment of the Maritime Transport Law, leading to the continuation of the status quo, as the solution requires radical and rapid reforms to ensure the restoration of Iraq’s maritime sovereignty and the lifting of the ban imposed on it.
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