Giant ship anchors at Umm Qasr Port in southern Iraq

By Raysan al-Fahad



Azzaman, November 26, 2010



Iraq’s southern port of UMM Qasr is one of Iraq’s rare reconstruction success stories.



The port which was bombed and damaged three times, has been reconstructed and can now handle giant cargo ships carrying up to 1,000 cars, for instance.



Early this week, the port received a U.S. cargo ship loaded with heavy machinery. The ship was 265 meters long.



UMM Qasr is Iraq’s only deep water port. It is part of a city bearing the same name.



Located on the western edge of the al-Faw peninsula, the port is strategically important for Iraq. Hence it was among the first targets of attack in the country’s numerous wars in the past two decades.



Reconstruction of the port started shortly after the 2003-U.S. invasion. The U.S., through its Project Management Office, spent nearly $11 million on the port’s reconstruction.



It is the first time giant cargo ships anchor at the port.



UMM Qasr’s reconstruction is certain to lessen Iraq’s dependence on long land routes stretching to terminals in neighboring states such as Turkey, Jordan and Syria.

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fffEight Iranian Ships dock at port in Iraq’s Basra in one week



By Raysan al-Fahad



Azzaman, November 27, 2010



Eight Iranian ships loaded with construction materials have docked in one of Basra’s eight ports in just one week, a source at Iraqi Ports Autority said.



The source, refusing to be named, said the ships were unloaded at Basra’s small port of al-Maqal, which handles ships with small cargo of up to 5000 tons.


The ships, the source said, carried mainly cement which is in high demand in the country.



The anchoring of eight Iranian ships in one week at only one Iraqi port signals the growing trade ties between Tehran and Baghdad.



Iran has emerged as the country’s largest trading partner in the aftermath of the 2003-U.S. invasion. The value of its exports to Iraq is expected to skyrocket to nearly $5 billion this year from a trickle before the invasion.


The ships also carried other products, the source added.



Iraq and Iran share more than 1000-km-long border. Besides the mushrooming maritime trade, the countries are linked by road and have set up several port point to regularize the flow of goods and passengers.