On Monday, August 18, 2025, the General Company for Ports of Iraq announced the commencement of the submersion phase for the fifth concrete segment of the immersed tunnel at Al Faw Grand Port. The segment has been named “AZAL” in honor of a newborn daughter of one of the project’s team members.

Dr. Eng. Farhan Al-Fartousi, Director General of the company, stated, “The fifth segment, ‘AZAL,’ named after the newborn of one of our colleagues, is now being prepared for submersion in advance of the leveling process at the bottom of the Khor Al-Zubair channel.” He noted that “this segment is the first to pass through the deepest section of the channel, marking a pivotal milestone in the execution of the project.”

He added that “the submersion phase will be conducted under direct engineering supervision, utilizing advanced systems to control buoyancy, balance, and weight—ensuring precise maneuvering and optimal positioning of the segment for the leveling stage at its designated location within the tunnel’s path.”

He further explained that “upon completion of the submersion of the fifth segment, the tunnel will have reached a total length of 819 meters, measured from the landward approach to the end of this segment.” He affirmed that “this progress reinforces the trajectory of the work toward reaching the final closure stages in accordance with the project’s planned timeline.”

The immersed tunnel at Al Faw Grand Port is the first of its kind in the Middle East to employ immersed segment technology. The massive concrete segments are fabricated in specialized dry docks, then floated and precisely submerged underwater to form the passageway linking both banks of the Khor Al-Zubair channel. This project stands as a landmark in Iraq’s modern infrastructure development and reflects a high level of engineering and technological innovation.