Syria Begins Gasoline Shipments to Iraq Amid Strait Disruptions
Syria has started transporting gasoline shipments to Iraq through the Baniyas oil terminal under a three-month renewable agreement, as Baghdad seeks alternative energy routes amid disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The first shipments began on Thursday, with 57 tanker trucks transporting gasoline to Iraq through the al-Tanf border crossing. The Syrian Petroleum Company's vice executive president for transport and storage, Ahmad Qabbahji, said authorities are working 'to raise the operational capacity to approximately 200 tankers per day' via the border crossing.
The new gasoline import and crude oil export route comes as Iraq continues efforts to diversify its energy supply and crude-export corridors amid severe disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Iran war broke out in late February. Baghdad alone requires between 9 million and 12 million liters of fuel daily, while Iraq's remaining governorates consume a combined 30 million liters per day.
The imports also come amid a deepening fuel shortage as domestic demand outstrips supply. To bridge the gap, the ministry of oil has resorted to importing fuel from neighboring countries, including the United Arab Emirates.