Iraq to use Syrian port of Baniyas for oil exports

Iraq plans to use the Baniyas port in Syria as an alternative export route for crude oil, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, according to INA.

The announcement came from Ali Nizar, head of the state-owned State Organisation for Marketing of Oil (SOMO), who said the current situation in the Middle East has made it necessary to open additional channels for oil exports, including shipments from southern Iraq through Baniyas.

Nizar stressed that diversifying export routes would improve Iraq’s access to global markets. He highlighted plans to expand shipments from Kirkuk via the Turkish port of Ceyhan, alongside exports from Basra through Baniyas. These measures, he said, would also help ease pressure on Iraq’s southern export terminals.

He added that Iraq currently maintains contracts with companies in Europe and the United States for oil supplies ranging between 850,000 and 900,000 barrels per day.

By Tamilla Hasanova