Iraq Advances Al-Faw Tunnel to Boost Trade Efficiency

Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani conducted a field inspection of the immersed tunnel project beneath the Khor Al-Zubair waterway, a key component of the Al-Faw Grand Port development.

The tunnel, the first of its kind in the region, is 2,444 metres long, with a submerged section of 1,260 metres at a depth of 28 metres, featuring three lanes in each direction for vehicles and trains. The project is 80% complete.

Once operational, the tunnel will directly link Al-Faw Grand Port with the Umm Qasr subdistrict and the international highway, significantly shortening the distance from roughly 200 km to 62 km and reducing travel time from two hours to about 35 minutes.

The infrastructure is expected to enhance transport efficiency, facilitate the movement of goods, and strengthen Iraq’s role as a regional and global logistics hub by connecting Asia and Europe. It also forms part of the wider Development Road, which runs from Basra through Baghdad to the Turkish border.