Mr. Jabbar Ali Al-Luiebi the minister of oil confirmed on the keenness of the ministry of oil to develop the Iraqi oil companies and re-activate the national crude oil transportation to all the world.

   That was after the departure of the first tanker ship (Baghdad) from the Iraqi southern ports after loading it with crude oil heading to the United States.  

   Mr. Al-Luiebi said that the ministry of oil is planning to build a national fleet to transport the oil products for the contractor companies with SOMO Company. He said also that the ministry achieved a big step to transform the Iraqi oil tankers company into a winner company after the stoppage of its marine activity during the last decades because of the circumstances and the war. And we are aiming to give it more support to bring back its glory as a well-known international company.

   Mr. Hussain Allawi the director general of the company said that this step comes under the guidance of Mr. Jabbar Ali Al-Luiebi the minister of oil to re-activate the Iraqi oil tankers company to transport the crude oil & the oil products to the world. The company will also transport the crude oil to the international ports by depending on 4 giant tanker ships, and then it will add 3 other ships “carrying the Iraqi flag around the world”.

   Mr. Allawi said also that the company will load the ship (Basrah) after the departure if the ship (Baghdad) which is carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil. He said also that the company have signed some agreements with the Arab marine transportation company as a step to re-build this sector which stopped in 1991. The agreements includes the transportation and associated cooperation, in addition to the training of 600 trainees from the national staff to administrate the tankers fleet in the future.

Source: Ministry of Oil