Syria transports 2.1M tons of Iraqi fuel to Europe since April
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Syria transported 2.123 million tons of Iraqi fuel oil to Europe since April, emerging as a key transit corridor for Iraqi energy exports amid efforts to diversify regional routes, The National reported on Tuesday.
The fuel is transported by road across Syria to the Mediterranean port of Baniyas, where it is loaded onto tankers for onward shipment to Europe. The oil is not processed at the port refinery, according to Ahmad Qubbaji, deputy chief executive of the Syrian Petroleum Company for Transport and Supply.
Qubbaji told The National that the number of trucks involved in the operation has increased from about 10 a day to 1,000, with discussions underway to potentially double the current volumes of Iraqi crude and fuel oil transported through Syria.
The developments come as Iraq seeks alternative export routes amid disruptions to regional shipping and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Syria and Iraq recently signed an agreement to revive the defunct Kirkuk-Baniyas oil pipeline, with the project receiving approval from the Iraqi Cabinet. The pipeline would connect Iraq’s oil fields to Syria’s Mediterranean coast, providing a potential route to international markets.
Qubbaji said technical studies for the project had been completed and that the scope of work would be provided to six international companies involved in the project, including Chevron, TotalEnergies and UCC Holding.
If implemented, the pipeline could transport up to 2 million barrels per day, with construction expected to take about 30 months after a contract is signed, he said.
The project is part of broader efforts to expand Iraq’s export capacity, including plans to increase shipments through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan.
Qubbaji said Syria’s geographic position could help restore its role as a strategic energy transit corridor linking Iraq and Gulf producers with international markets.
“Syria’s geographical position qualifies it to serve as a strategic location,” he said, adding that Damascus was seeking to restore its “natural role” rather than replace existing regional routes.