Iraq will launch its Development Road Project linking its Southern Faw Port to Turkey by rail at the start of 2024, the Transport Ministry’s Relations and Media Director Maitham Al Safi told Iraqi News Agency. An Italian consulting company has submitted a feasibility study for the project, Al Safi said, though he did not reveal which company will implement the project or how much it will cost.

The details: The freight train will pass through nine Iraqi provinces, the last of which is Nineveh, which will connect to Turkey. Some 60 km of rail between the ports of Faw and Umm Qasr have been built, according to Al Safi. The train will have an initial capacity of 3.5 mn containers and 22 mn tons of bulk cargo per year, which should increase to 7.5 mn containers and 33 mn tons per year. It will also have the capacity to accommodate 13.8 mn passengers per year, Zawya reports, citing Iraqi officials.

Iraq has big rail ambitions: Iraq has been working on developing rail projects on several fronts, including a plan to build a connection with Iran through the Khosravi border crossing.

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