ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq is awaiting the completion of the grand Faw port project, which has faced many obstacles since the foundation stone was laid. In addition to increasing its oil revenues, Iraq wants to develop its economy by connecting Europe to the Gulf. 

The large international port of Faw will greatly reduce the time needed to transport goods between the Gulf nations and Turkey. 

The project has cost more than 4.6 billion euros (around $4.83 billion) and will operate 24 hours a day. Iraq is attempting to finalize the port as soon as possible, and it is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024, a year before the planned date of end-2025. 

The Iraqi government has partnered up with the South Korean Daewoo E&C to build the port.

Al-Faw is located south of Umm Qasr, Iraq’s main seaport. 

After its completion, the port will be connected to the port of Mersin in Turkey by land, and the Kurdistan Region will benefit because the land route will be built on the Region’s territory. 

The new port will be deeper than Qasr to allow larger container ships to dock in its harbor.

Photos: Bilind T. Abdullah