DAMASCUS: Syria began trucking a roughly 32,800-metric-ton gasoline cargo to Iraq through Baniyas this week, opening a return leg on the Syria-Iraq fuel route used by Baghdad.
The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Avanti delivered the imported gasoline to storage at Baniyas Refinery. Tareq Shallash, head of refining at the state-owned Syrian Petroleum Company, said 77 tanker trucks had already left for Iraq. Loading was continuing, with further cargoes expected.
Shallash said the gasoline was neither produced in Syria nor taken from supplies reserved for domestic consumption. The shipments operate under a transit contract with Qatar’s UCC Holding, which supplies the fuel and manages transportation.
Iraq’s Oil Ministry confirmed the arrangement. Spokesperson Saleem al-Rikabi said Iraq had contracted the Qatari company to supply improved gasoline through Baniyas by road tanker.
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The corridor had previously carried Iraqi fuel oil west through Syria for export. Baghdad has said it plans to continue developing overland alternatives even if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz resumes.
For now, the transit agreement covers gasoline only. Shallash said future deals could extend the route to crude oil, other petroleum products and additional goods.
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UCC Holding is separately working with Chevron and TI Capital on studies to revive the Kirkuk-Baniyas crude pipeline. Iraq and Syria signed a memorandum of understanding on the project in July.
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Syria has begun moving imported gasoline to Iraq by road after a roughly 32,800-metric-ton cargo arrived at Baniyas, creating a return leg on an energy route Baghdad already uses.
