The Syrian Petroleum and Energy Resources Company in Baghdad and Damascus has revealed features of unprecedented strategic growth in activating the transit movement of energy transit through Syrian territory, driven by the consequences of the US-Israeli war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Syria emerged in international shipping data as one of the three largest exporters of fuel oil in the Middle East during the month of June , which is mostly from Iraq and is exported through Syrian ports, taking advantage of Iraq's shift of its export routes by land to Syrian ports on the Mediterranean Sea as an alternative to the damaged waterways in the Gulf.
Wide discharge system
The vice president of the Syrian Petroleum Company for Transport and Storage Affairs, Ahmed Qubbaji, announced in press statements that between 900 and 1000 Iraqi oil tankers flow daily to Syrian territory through the Al-Tanf and Al-Yarubiya border crossings.
He stressed that the storage and unloading system is fully equipped to accommodate this cargo and distribute it to strategic locations that include the Banias refinery, Homs, the "T4" station and Nasiriyah, denying the occurrence of any traffic jams thanks to the continuous coordination with the border crossings department and the allocation of parking and unloading yards that allow high operational flexibility.
In a related context, Reuters reported that the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, through its marketing arm SOMO, is preparing to increase its exports through Syria at an initial rate of 50,000 barrels per day of crude oil and oilstarting next July.
These preparations coincide with the announcement by an official in the Syrian Ministry of Energy about the country's intention to inaugurate two new oil unloading zones and additional facilities at the port of Banias to increase capacity and complete the rehabilitation of the war-damaged pipelines to compensate for land transport, noting that the pipeline between the two countries is capable of pumping up to 300,000 barrels per day.
Banias Port competes with big guys
Shipping data released by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) reported that Syria succeeded in entering as one of the three largest exporters of fuel oil in the Middle East this June, along with Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Reuters confirmed in its report that the volume of Iraqi exports transiting through the route of the Syrian port of Baniyas exceeded 600,000 tons during the current month, a record level that reflects the success of the land transport arrangements that were launched since last April to unload fuel directly into a maritime platform connected to the refinery's tanks to be shipped to global destinations in Africa and Europe, the latest of which was the arrival of a tanker in Alexandria, Egypt.
Iraqi Oil Ministry spokesman Salim al-Rikabi told Reuters that the government attaches utmost importance to diversifying export ports through Syria, as Iraq, which normally exports 3.6 million barrels per day, aims to maintain this strategic route as a permanent route to reduce reliance on a single export corridor even after the conflict ends and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz returns to normal.
Transit fees and logistical challenges
Sources in the Iraqi Ministry of Oil revealed that Syria receives financial fees for the transit of fuel shipments paid directly through international buyers and intermediaries, which provides the Syrian treasury with vital revenues at a time when the country seeks to reintegrate into the regional and global economy and overcome previous decades of isolation .
The significant economic transformation follows the signing of emergency transport agreements in April as Iraqi storage facilities in Basra and Khor al-Zubair were filled following a disruption to navigation in the Gulf.
The Syrian Ministry of Energy considers that the flow of energy convoys through the Al-Tanf port indicates the restoration of Syria's strategic position as a safe and reliable energy transit corridor that connects regional markets, which supports the stability of fuel supplies globally in light of the accelerated security changes in the region.
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