Ship chandlers & ship supply at Umm Qasr Port IQUQR

The WFP Logistics Cluster calls Umm Qasr the largest Iraqi port and the only deep-water one. It is managed by the General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI), a state company under the Ministry of Transport. In 2010 the ministry split the port into a South Port and a North Port, each with its own administration. The North Port is now the country’s busiest. The port lies on the west bank of Khawr Umm Qasr at about 30°01′N 047°57′E.^[3,1]

—North Port terminals, from the Emirates Line terminal sheet (May 2025): Iraq Container Terminal (ICT, Gulftainer) at berths 11A/11B; Basra Multi Purpose Terminal (BMT) at 12–15 and 22–24; Martrade at 16; Basra Gateway Terminal (BGT, ICTSI) at 19–21 and 25–27. The WFP assessment counts four terminals and seventeen berths (11–27) in the North Port, and lists berth 18 as the only one run directly by the port authority.^[5,3]

—BGT says it operates six berths for container, general, project and ro-ro cargo, and is the only operator at Umm Qasr able to handle 14,000 TEU ships. Its four container berths take Post-Panamax ships up to 340 m with seven ship-to-shore cranes. Berth 21 is the port’s only dedicated ro-ro berth, and berth 19 the general-cargo berth built for heavy equipment.^[6,7,8,9]

—The South Port holds older general-cargo, bulk and container berths, including a CMA CGM terminal at berth 5. NGA lists South Port berths of 172–280 m with 8–10 m alongside.^[5,1]

—Traffic: GCPI reported 689 ships and 6.86 million tonnes at Umm Qasr North in the first half of 2025, and 252 ships and 5.4 million tonnes at Umm Qasr South.^[10]

Ships enter Khawr Abd Allah about 6 miles south of the Shatt al Arab entrance, through the buoyed channel of Khawr Al Amaya. They follow the dredged north channel, Khawr Shatanah and then Khawr Saka, into Khawr Umm Qasr. NGA advises against Khawr Bubiyan, the south channel. The channel was dredged in 2005 to about 200 m wide: 11.0 m from buoys 2/3 to 16/17; 12.5 m from 16/17 to buoy 24, east of Jazirat Warbah; 12.3 m from there to the entrance of Khawr Umm Qasr. Depths are subject to siltation and liable to change.^[1]

—Pilotage is compulsory. Vessels bound for Umm Qasr or Khor Al Zubair board the pilot at 29°41.0′N 048°46.0′E or at 29°59.1′N 048°12.7′E. Harbour pilots board near Lighted Buoy No. 36. River pilots work VHF 14 and 16, harbour pilots VHF 12 and 16. Pilots may board from harbour tugs that are not marked as pilot vessels. Departing vessels request a pilot through their agent at least 3 hours ahead.^[1]

—ETA reports go to Umm Qasr Port Control on VHF 12 or 16 at 48, 24 and 12 hours before arrival. Ships also report passing Lighted Buoys No. 23 and No. 24, inbound and outbound. NGA does not recommend night or twilight transit of the approach channels without a pilot.^[1]

—Distance and time: the line’s sheet gives 34 nm and about 5.5 hours from the pilot station to the berth.^[5]

—Tide: springs rise about 4.6 m at Umm Qasr. NGA notes levels may run up to 1 m below prediction, tidal streams off the port can reach 6 knots, and deep-draft ships in Khawr Saka may feel shallow-water effects. The World Port Index flags the entrance as tide-restricted.^[1,2]

—Anchoring: the holding anchorage for Umm Qasr lies about 3 miles east-south-east of the eastern end of Jazirat Warbah, and ships can also anchor in Khawr Umm Qasr about 2 miles below the port. NGA warns of unexploded ordnance, former mine danger areas in Khawr Abd Allah and numerous uncharted wrecks. Anchor only where the local authorities direct. Aids to navigation have been reported unreliable, unlit or missing.^[1]

The numbers do not agree, so plan on the working figures. BGT berths 25 and 26 were built with a design depth of 14 m alongside. NGA gives the Umm Qasr basin and North Port berths as 12.5 m (reported 2013). The working maximum drafts are lower: Emirates Line’s May 2025 sheet gives 10.5 m at ICT 11A/11B, BGT berths 20 and 27, and 10.6 m at BMT 14/15, with LOA limits of 290–340 m; the WFP assessment says access is maintained for ships of up to 11 m draught.^[6,1,5,4]

—Confirm the current maximum draft for your terminal and tide with your agent before fixing. NGA records the largest ship to use the port as 48,000 dwt at 13.2 m, an older record.^[1]

—War risk: the Lloyd’s Market Association Joint War Committee’s Listed Areas (JWLA-035, 16 September 2026) include “Iraq, including all Iraqi offshore oil terminals”. Ships entering listed areas must notify their underwriters.^[11]

—Agent, berth and pilot: berthing is first come, first served, or in berthing windows agreed between terminal and line. Terminals work 24 hours. Your agent orders the pilot and books the berth with the terminal operator.^[5]

—Security: the WFP assessment lists the port as ISPS compliant and the terminals describe themselves as ISPS compliant. It also notes that while the ports have been safe for several years, parts of the Iraqi hinterland remain a security concern. Plan crew movements ashore with the agent.^[3]

—Services: the World Port Index lists provisions, water, fuel, engine supplies, garbage disposal, medical facilities and tug assistance at Umm Qasr. The WFP assessment counts 10 berthing tugs and 3 water barges. Who supplies what, and how, is not published, so ask your agent.^[2,3]

—Provisions, stores, spares and cabin stores: post a requirement and suppliers serving Umm Qasr answer with sealed bids. Suppliers never see the vessel’s name until award. If you supply ships at Umm Qasr, be the first supplier in.

—Khor Al Zubair is a separate port about 11 miles upriver from Umm Qasr, with approach depths as little as 8.3 m. A new port at Al Faw, on the north side of Khawr Abd Allah, has been under construction. The WFP assessment reported Iraq’s transport minister expected it to open to shipping by the end of 2025, but it is not covered here.^[1,3]

—Across Khawr Abd Allah, Kuwait’s commercial ports have their own guides: Shuwaikh and Shuaiba.