<p data-path-to-node="3" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Iraq’s state-owned maritime shipping carrier,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> Iraqi Line,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> has officially restarted scheduled commercial maritime operations in the Persian Gulf after an interruption spanning more than five decades,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> marking both a symbolic milestone and a practical push to reassert Iraqi sovereignty over its critical supply chains.</span></p><p data-path-to-node="4" id="p-rc_ba92908832f2794e-306" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-2095" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The service officially commenced as the Iraqi-owned cargo vessel </span><i data-path-to-node="4" data-index-in-node="65" class="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Basrah</i><span class="citation-2095 citation-end-2095" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> departed the deep-water hub of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates, sailing northbound on a direct rotation connecting UAE transshipment berths to Kuwait and Iraq’s primary commercial deep-water gateway at the Port of Umm Qasr.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="1" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> </span><span class="citation-2094 citation-end-2094" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The sailing represents the first time an Iraqi state-backed commercial cargo vessel has maintained regular scheduled service across the Gulf since the mid-1960s, reviving a state maritime tradition disrupted by decades of regional conflict, sanctions, and infrastructural decay.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="2" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2137671841="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <!----><source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2137671841="" _nghost-ng-c197584763="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><h3 data-path-to-node="5" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">Operational Scope and Fleet Deployment</h3><p data-path-to-node="6" id="p-rc_ba92908832f2794e-307" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-2093 citation-end-2093" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">According to formal announcements from the Iraqi Ministry of Transport, the reactivated service operates on an eight-day rotation, completing the 760-kilometer port-to-port voyage in approximately two days.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="3" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2137671841="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <!----><source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2137671841="" _nghost-ng-c197584763="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="7" id="p-rc_ba92908832f2794e-308" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-2092" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The vessel leading the revived shuttle service, the </span><i data-path-to-node="7" data-index-in-node="52" class="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Basrah</i><span class="citation-2092 citation-end-2092" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">, is a multi-purpose cargo ship built in 2014, measuring 143 meters (469 feet) in length with a deadweight capacity of 17,787 DWT.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="4" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> Outfitted to transport roughly 900 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU) along with breakbulk and general cargo,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> the vessel provides Iraq with direct,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> national carrying capacity between the lower Gulf’s premier distribution hub and southern Iraq.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2137671841="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <!----><source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2137671841="" _nghost-ng-c197584763="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="8" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Ministry officials noted that the revived liner service aims to establish a dependable maritime shuttle to:</span></p><ul data-path-to-node="9" style="padding-inline-start: 32px; font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,0,0" id="p-rc_ba92908832f2794e-309" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-2091 citation-end-2091" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Increase cargo throughput across southern federal ports.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="5" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2137671841="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <!----><source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2137671841="" _nghost-ng-c197584763="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,1,0" id="p-rc_ba92908832f2794e-310" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-2090 citation-end-2090" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Stimulate commercial trade links with neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="6" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2137671841="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <!----><source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2137671841="" _nghost-ng-c197584763="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,2,0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Reduce the country’s near-total dependence on foreign-flagged charter tonnage and multinational container lines for vital imports.</span></p></li></ul><h3 data-path-to-node="10" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">Bypassing Regional Chokepoint Bottlenecks</h3><p data-path-to-node="11" id="p-rc_ba92908832f2794e-311" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The reactivation comes at an exceptionally critical juncture for Iraq's national economy.</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> </span><span class="citation-2089 citation-end-2089" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Iraq relies on overseas imports for the vast majority of its domestic needs, including basic foodstuffs, grain, refined sugar, pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics, and construction supplies.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="7" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> </span><span class="citation-2088 citation-end-2088" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Because Umm Qasr is the nation's sole commercial deep-water maritime gateway, any impairment to maritime access quickly reverberates across domestic wholesale markets.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="8" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2137671841="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <!----><source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2137671841="" _nghost-ng-c197584763="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="12" id="p-rc_ba92908832f2794e-312" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-2087 citation-end-2087" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Recent regional conflicts and mounting transit hazards in and around the Strait of Hormuz have placed severe operational stress on southern Iraqi logistics.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="9" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> </span><span class="citation-2086 citation-end-2086" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Earlier in the year, major international ocean carriers suspended direct calls to Umm Qasr, refusing to send ultra-large container ships through contested waters.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="10" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> Instead,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> carriers discharged Iraqi-bound containers at transshipment ports in the UAE and Oman,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> leaving importers to navigate cumbersome,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> expensive overland trucking routes or rely on ad-hoc feeder runs.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2137671841="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <!----><source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2137671841="" _nghost-ng-c197584763="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="13" id="p-rc_ba92908832f2794e-313" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-2085 citation-end-2085" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">By fielding its own national tonnage on the Jebel Ali–Umm Qasr shuttle corridor, Baghdad has secured a dedicated sea-bridge capable of picking up stranded containerized freight in the UAE and moving it directly into southern Iraq under sovereign administrative oversight.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="11" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2137671841="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <!----><source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2137671841="" _nghost-ng-c197584763="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><h3 data-path-to-node="14" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">Strategic Rebuilding of Iraq's Maritime Sector</h3><p data-path-to-node="15" id="p-rc_ba92908832f2794e-314" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The resumption of Iraqi Line's Gulf cargo service aligns with a broader push by Baghdad to overhaul its state transport enterprises.</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> </span><span class="citation-2084 citation-end-2084" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Alongside the dry cargo fleet, Iraq’s state oil tanker company has also begun stepping into international crude transport, moving domestic crude past regional chokepoints on its own bottoms for the first time in decades.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="12" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2137671841="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <!----><source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2137671841="" _nghost-ng-c197584763="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="16" id="p-rc_ba92908832f2794e-315" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Senior transport officials in Baghdad hailed the departure of the </span><i data-path-to-node="16" data-index-in-node="66" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Basrah</i><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> as the foundation for a modernized,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> multi-vessel national fleet.</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> Industry analysts point out that sustaining regular commercial liner operations will require ongoing capital investment,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> including fleet expansion,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> crew training to international standards,</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> and modern port-terminal integration.</span><span style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> </span><span class="citation-2083 citation-end-2083" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">However, the re-entry of the Iraqi flag into regional waters after a half-century hiatus establishes an indispensable logistics lifeline that bolsters Iraq's economic resilience amid persistent Middle Eastern shipping volatility.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2613518143="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2613518143="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="13" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2137671841="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"></sources-carousel-inline></p>