The Director General of the General Company for Ports of Iraq, Dr. Eng. Farhan Al-Fartousi, has announced the completion of the leveling process for the second segment of the immersed tunnel as part of Al Faw Grand Port project. This was achieved through a complex engineering operation conducted beneath the Khor Al-Zubair navigational channel at a depth of 23 meters, with a water level of 12 meters above the section.

The Director General stated, “The engineering teams executing the immersed tunnel project, one of the initiatives of Al Faw Grand Port, have successfully completed the leveling process for the second segment of the tunnel.”

He added that “the accomplishment of leveling the second segment marks a qualitative advancement in the implementation of the immersed tunnel and accelerates the progress towards completing this strategic project, which is the first of its kind in Iraq and the Middle East region.”

He explained that “the second segment was entirely manufactured within the designated dry dock, measuring 126 meters in length and weighing 45,000 tons. It was equipped with advanced systems for balance and alignment, enabling its precise immersion and connection to the first section, forming an integral part of the structural framework of the tunnel.”

The Director General clarified that “the total length of the tunnel segments currently immersed in water, including those within the Khor Al-Zubair channel and the approach near Um Qasr, has reached 441 meters out of 1,244 meters, indicating significant progress.” He noted that “the total length of the tunnel exceeds 2.4 kilometers, executed using the Immersed Tunnel technique, with unprecedented international standards in Iraq and the region.”

He emphasized that “the tunnel will serve as a vital artery connecting Al Faw Grand Port with Um Qasr Port through an underwater land passage as part of an integrated transportation system. It will enhance Iraq’s role as a pivotal center for maritime and land transport in the region.”

The Director General also praised the joint efforts of the Iraqi engineering teams and the foreign companies involved, stating: “What we are witnessing today is the result of fruitful collaboration between Iraqi expertise and international experience. This achievement reflects Iraq’s capability to confidently undertake mega projects that meet global standards.”