Iraq’s Ministry of Transport announced that it will inaugurate the 2.5 kilometre subsea tunnel within the Grand Faw Port project soon with construction work reaching the final phase.

The ministry’s media office director, Maitham al-Safi, said the tunnel is currently undergoing final outfitting, noting that it will form the most important global trade route between Asia and Europe, thus enhancing the position of the Faw Port as one of the most important commercial ports in the region.

“The tunnel is a massive engineering project that will significantly contribute to accelerating maritime transport and increasing the port’s capacity to accommodate large commercial vessels,” he said in local press comments on Tuesday.

“Furthermore, it will stimulate trade between Iraq and other countries, enhance its ability to engage with international markets, and provide thousands of job opportunities in various construction and logistics sectors.”

Al Safi noted that the government fully supports the completion of this phase of the Faw Port project despite regional tensions, adding that the port project would be completed on time.

Dutch company Ballast Nedam is executing the immersion tunnel project as a subcontractor for Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. Each tunnel element weighs 46,000 tonnes and extends for 125 metres, according Ballast Nedam’s website.

In September 2025, Zawya Projects had reported that the seventh concrete unit of the tunnel was being floated for eventual placement.
Source: ZAWYA