02/04/2026
Share:
02/04/2026
Share:
BAGHDAD (AP), Apr 2: Iraq has begun exporting fuel oil by land through Syria as regional shipping disruptions continue to impact Gulf export routes, officials said Thursday.
The Iraqi Oil Ministry confirmed that 178 tankers carrying fuel oil have arrived at Syria’s Banias terminal out of a planned 299-truck shipment, marking a new overland export route designed to sustain revenues amid heightened risks to maritime shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The trucks are reportedly transiting through the Tanf crossing into Syria before reaching the Mediterranean coast, bypassing Iraq’s main southern export hub at Basra. The ministry said export volumes will be increased gradually in coordination with Syrian authorities, despite logistical and infrastructure constraints.
Syrian state media also confirmed the arrival of the tankers at the Banias refinery terminal.
The move comes as Iraq seeks alternative export channels, having previously resumed crude shipments through Turkey’s Ceyhan port, as regional tensions continue to disrupt traditional Gulf shipping routes.
