PM Al-Sudani confirms completion of Grand Faw Port in 2025
Shafaq News / Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani attended, on Wednesday, the signing ceremony of Al-Faw Oil Refinery Project, one of the projects of Al-Faw Grand Port.
“The contract was signed between the Ministry of Oil/South Refineries Company and the Chinese company China National Chemical Engineering CNCEC. This project is part of the government’s plan to increase oil refining capacities in Iraq, attract foreign investments, and provide petroleum products locally,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s media office.
“Prime Minister Al-Sudani emphasized that the Al-Faw Integrated Oil Refinery Project is one of the significant economic projects for the country, supporting refining and petrochemical industries in Iraq. He urged the Chinese company to expedite the implementation of this project and directed the Iraqi authorities to provide full support to the executing company.”
The capacity of the oil refinery is 300,000 barrels per day and its construction will adhere to global environmental standards using modern technology to utilize petroleum derivatives for local consumption and export purposes.
According to the statement, “The project will be executed in two phases: the first phase involves refining operations, while the second phase includes constructing a petrochemical complex with a capacity of 3 million tons per year, along with building a power plant with a capacity of 2000 MW. Additionally, the project includes establishing Al-Faw Oil Refinery Technology Academy to train 5,000 Iraqi personnel who will manage the refinery in the future.”
“The project will open wide opportunities for local industries that rely on these materials, create job opportunities for young people and graduates, and achieve social benefits to develop the areas surrounding the project, including building housing units, medical services, technical training centers, and sports and social facilities.”
Notably, PM Al-Sudani directed, by the end of 2022, to expedite the pace of work on all executive aspects of the Grand Faw Port, considering it a project "commensurate with the size of Iraq and the aspirations of its people."
The Grand Faw Port is an Iraqi port located on the Faw Peninsula in the southern governorate of Basra, the southernmost part of the country.
Its cost is estimated at around 4.6 billion euros, with a projected capacity of 99 million tons annually, making it one of the largest ports overlooking the Gulf and the tenth largest in the world. The foundation stone for this project was laid on April 5, 2010.
The issue of the Grand Faw Port, and the delay in its completion, has sparked controversy, with deputies accusing successive governments of striking deals with neighboring countries that undermined the construction of the port in favor of ports in those countries.
The project also witnessed some delays following the "suicide" of the technical director of the South Korean Daewoo company, which is implementing the Grand Faw Port project, for mysterious reasons.
