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Al Faw Grand Port

Basrah, Iraq

2010 - Ongoing

InfrastructureLarge Urban ProjectMaritime ZonePort

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Project Description

Approach Words: Integrated City, Urban Competitiveness, Urban Livability

Public Policy Instruments: Financial Mechanism, Organization, Physical Intervention, Planning

Al Faw Grand Port project is a large marine infrastructure project for the development of a new deep-water port on an artificial island¹ in Al Basra City in the south of Iraq.² Strategically located at Shatt al-Arab estuary where the “Euphrates” and “Tigris” rivers meet before flowing into the sea,³ the project is expected to become the Middle East’s biggest port⁴ and will serve as a crucial channel connecting the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea.⁵

The port is the first phase of a larger project that includes industrial and commercial zones in the second phase, and the Al Faw new city as the third phase.⁶ ⁷ The project is also part of the development road projectⁱ that aims to establish an Iraqi trans-border transportation network linking the gulf area to Türkiye.⁸ ⁹

The project aims to achieve the following objectives:

Enhance Iraq’s port transportation capabilities through improving the country’s infrastructure,¹⁰
Reduce logistical costs,¹¹
Promote the country’s economic development, and economic exchange and cooperation with neighboring countries, such as Türkiye.¹²

Title: Al Faw Grand Port location and Relation to the Development Road Project.

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Title: Al Faw Project Including the Port, Industrial Area, and Al Faw New City.

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Title: 3D View Showing Al Faw Grand Port.

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Title: Phase 1 of the Project Under Implementation.

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Title: Al Faw Grand Port location and Relation to the Development Road Project.

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Title: Al Faw Project Including the Port, Industrial Area, and Al Faw New City.

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Title: 3D View Showing Al Faw Grand Port.

Source: Click Here

Title: Phase 1 of the Project Under Implementation.

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To implement these objectives, a master plan was proposed that extends over a total area of 54 square kilometers.¹³ This master plan includes a total of 99 berths¹⁴ to accommodate large vessels, along with complete logistics facilities and supporting infrastructure.¹⁵ Specifically, the port includes the following components:

Port’s breakwater spanning over 14.5 Kilometers.¹⁶
Container terminals with 7 kilometers quay length,¹⁷ including 46 berths with a total capacity of 25 million containers/year¹⁸ at a depth of -17 meters,¹⁹ along with an adjacent container yard spanning over 2 square kilometers.²⁰
A dry bulk terminal of 3.5 kilometers quay length²¹ including 25 berths with a total capacity of 55 million tons/year,²² along with a dry bulk yard spanning over 0.6 square kilometers.²³
General cargo terminal including 20 berths with total capacity of 4 million tons/year.²⁴
Oil terminal with 6 berthswith total capacity of 300,000 barrel/year.²⁵
Roll-on/Roll-off terminal (RoRo) including 2 berths.²⁶
Land yard for buildings and warehouses with total area of a 1 square kilometers.²⁷
A naval base.²⁸

The project also includes the construction of a road connecting the port and Um Qasr in Iraq with total length of 57.9 kilometers.²⁹

Owner/Developer (Public)

General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI)⁴²

Ministry of Transportation ⁴³

AD Ports Group ⁴⁴

Consultant/Designer

Impregilo ⁴⁵

Funder

Iraqi Government ⁴⁶

AD Ports Group ⁴⁷

Contractor/Implementer

Ministry of Transportation ⁴⁸

Daewoo company ⁴⁹

Owner/Developer (Public)

General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI)⁴²

Ministry of Transportation ⁴³

AD Ports Group ⁴⁴

Contractor/Implementer

Ministry of Transportation ⁴⁸

Daewoo company ⁴⁹

Funder

Iraqi Government ⁴⁶

AD Ports Group ⁴⁷

Consultant/Designer

Impregilo ⁴⁵

Upon completion, the port’s annual throughput is expected to reach 99 million tons.³⁰ It will be capable of handling oil, gas, foodstuffs, chemicals, and other global trade products, reducing transport time between Europe and Asia by 11 days.³¹

The project is initiated by General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI).³² Abou Dabi Ports Group established a joint venture with GCPI to develop Al-Faw Grand Port and its economic zone. The agreement includes potential investments, management, and operation of ports, economic zones, and related infrastructure in other Iraqi cities.³³ The master plan was designed by a consortium of Italian infrastructure consultants led by Impregilo.³⁴ The first phase of the project is under implementation by the South Korean Daewoo company,³⁵ under the supervision of the ministry of transport.³⁶ The total cost of the project is approximately $5 billion.³⁷

The first phase of the project is planned begin operations in 2025,³⁸ with a total container terminal capacity of 3 million TEU.³⁹ The construction cost of this phase is $2.7 billion.⁴⁰ The port will be fully completed and reach maximum capacity by 2038.⁴¹