First: Railways

Iraq represents an international crossing point for railways, having a railway network that connects the country with the eastern and middle part of Europe as well as the Arabic Gulf.

The National Development Plan aims to rehabilitate and expand the old railway network to be a reliable link between the Gulf and Europe. This railway system is expected to be competitive and fast in shipping goods and materials between Iraq and the neighboring Gulf countries, Turkey and Europe.

The Iraqi Ministry of Transportation adopted a plan for implementing 9 major railway lines that are to be offered to foreign investment, these lines shall cover an area of 1243 km upon its accomplishment.

Available Investment Opportunities of the State Company for Iraqi Railways

First: Eastern Railway Line which includes the following projects:

1.(Mosul, Duhok, Zakho, Turkish Boarders) Railway

Project type: New
Project total cost including land capture: $ 2.607 m.
Land capture cost: $ 450 m.
Project estimated cost: $ 2.157 m.
Project location: the Railway line running through the provinces of Nineveh and Duhok.
Designed capacity: 1 Million passenger/ year
55 million tons of goods/ year
Project axis length: 167 km two-way line
Designed speed: 200 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
140 km/h for goods using electric trains.
Axle load: 25 tons.
The Project supplementary Service facilities: stations, bridges, archways, repair workshops, sign and communication systems, houses for the workers.

2.(Kirkuk- Sulaimaniyah) Railway

Project type: New
Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 3.278 m.
Project location: Railway line running through the Provinces of (Kirkuk and Sulaimaniyah).
Designed capacity: 1.250 Million passenger/ year
6 million tons of goods/ year
Project axis length: 118 km one-way line, possible to be two-way line in the future.
Designed speed: 200 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
140 km/h for goods using electric trains.
Axle load: 25 tons.
Project Supplementary Service Facilities: stations, bridges, archways, repair workshops, sign and communication systems, houses for the workers.

3.(Baghdad- Ba’quba- Kirkuk- Erbil- Mosul) Railway and its Branch Line (Khaniqeen-Al-Munthriyah-Iraqi/Iranian Borders).

Project type: New
Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 8.674 m.
Land Acquisition Cost: $ 1.674 m.
Project estimated cost: $ 7.000 m.
Project location: Railway line passes through the provinces of (Baghdad, Diyala, Kirkuk, Irbil, and Nineveh) and its branch line passes through Diyala Province.
Designed capacity: 6 Million passenger/ year
20 million tons of goods/ year
Project axis length: 555 km two-way line
Designed speed: 250 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
140 km/h for goods using electric trains.
Axle load: 25 tons.
Project Supplementary Service Facilities: stations, bridges, archways, repair workshops, sign and communication systems, houses for the workers.

4.(Baghdad- Kut- Imara- Basrah) Railway

Project type: New
Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 7.612 m.
Land Acquisition Cost: $ 1.512 m.
Project estimated cost: $ 6.100 m.
Project location: Railway line passes through the Provinces of (Baghdad, Wassit, Maysan, and Basra).
Designed capacity: 9 Million passenger/ year
20 million tons of goods/ year
Project axis length: 504 km two-way line
Designed speed: 250 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
140 km/h for goods using electric trains.
Axle load: 25 tons.
Project attachments: stations, bridges, archways, repair workshops, sign and communication systems, houses for the workers.

5. (Kut- Nasriyah) Railway

Project type: New
Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 2.610 m.
Project estimated cost: $ 1.200 m.
Project location: Basra Province.
Designed capacity: 3 Million passenger/ year
5 million tons of goods/ year
Project axis length: 173 km two-way line
Designed speed: 250 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
140 km/h for goods using electric trains.
Axle load: 25 tons.

6.(Kut- Ba’quba) Railway

Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 3750 m.
Project estimated cost: $ 1200 m.
Project location: Basra Province.
Designed capacity: 6 Million passenger/ year
20 million tons of goods/ year
Project axis length: 250 km one-way line
Designed speed: 250 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
140 km/h for goods using electric trains.
Axle load: 25 tons.

7. (Basra- Fao) Railway

Project type: New
Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 1,709 m.
Project estimated cost: $ 1200 m.
Project location: Basra Province.
Designed capacity: 1 Million passenger/ year
70 million tons of goods/ year
Project axis length: 110 km one-way line
Designed speed: 140 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
100 km/h for goods using electric trains.
Axle load: 25 tons.
Project Supplementary Facilities: stations, bridges, archways, repair workshops, sign and communication systems, houses for the workers.

8. (Basra- Shalamjah) Railway

Project type: New
Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 250 m.
Project estimated cost: $ 250 m.
Project location: The rail line passing through Basra Province.
Designed capacity: 1 Million passenger/ year
10 million tons of goods/ year
Project axis length: 35 km one-way line
Designed speed: 120 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
80 km/h for goods using electric trains
Axle load: 25 tons.
Project Supplementary Facilities: stations, bridges, archways, repair workshops, sign and communication systems, houses for the workers.

9. The circular line (Around the City of Baghdad

Project type: New
Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 2,429 m.
Land Acquisition Cost: $ 429 m.
Project estimated cost: $ 2.000 m.
Project location: Baghdad Province.
Designed capacity: 23 Million passenger/ year
46 million tons of goods/ year
Project main axis lengths:
Axis of the circular line: 140 km two-way line
The axis which links the international station to the circular line through train tunnel is 11 km, 4 parallel lines Designed speed: 200 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
140 km for goods using electric trains.
Axle load: 25 tons.
Project Supplementary Service Facilities: stations, bridges, archways, repair workshops, sign and communication systems, houses for the workers.

10. (Shiaebah- Safwan) Railway Project connection with Kuwait and Gulf Countries.

Project type: New
Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 650 m.
Designed capacity: 2 Million passenger/ year
20 million tons of goods/ year
Designed speed: 250 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
140 km/h for goods using electric trains.
Axle load: 25 tons.

Second: Western Railway Line which includes the following projects:

1. (Baghdad- Musaiab- Karbala- Najaf- Samawa- Nasiriyah- Basra- Um Qasir) Railway Project

Project type: New
Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 11.000 m.
Land Acquisition Cost: $ 1.000 m.
Project estimated cost: $ 10.000 m.
Designed capacity: 10 Million passenger/ year
Project axis length: 680 km two-way line
Designed speed: 275 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
Axle load: 18 tons.
Project Supplementary Service Facilities: stations, bridges, archways, repair workshops, sign and communication systems, houses for the workers.

2. (Ramadi- Karbala) Railway Project

Project type: New
Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 1.600 m.
Land Acquisition Cost: $ 100 m.
Project estimated cost: $ 1500 m.
Project location: Railway line passing through the Provinces of (Anbar and Karbala).
Designed capacity: 3 Million passenger/ year
36 million tons of goods/ year
Project axis length: 138 km two-way line
Designed speed: 250 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
140 km/h for goods using electric trains.
Axle load: 25 tons.
Project Supplementary Service Facilities: stations, bridges, archways, repair workshops, sign and communication systems, houses for the workers.

3. (Ramadi- Tribeel) Railway Project with Jordan

Project type: New
Project total cost including land Acquisition: $ 1.881 m.
Project location: Railway line passing through the Provinces of (Anbar and Karbala)
Designed capacity: 4.5 Million passenger/ year
12 million tons of goods/ year
Project axis length: 400 km two-way line
Designed speed: 200 km/h for passengers using electric trains.
120 km/h for goods using electric trains.
Axle load: 25 tons.
Project Supplementary Service Facilities: stations, bridges, archways, repair workshops, sign and communication systems, houses for the workers

4. Mosul Subway Project

Project type: New
Project total cost: Unspecified
Project location: – left side circle of Dijoon crossing river-Line length 22,5 KM-Number of Stations 11.
– Right side circle with crossing river points-Line length 13 KM-Number of Stations (8-10)
Project Description: Mosul Subway
Axle load: 25 tons.
Project Area: calculated as per the railway length for the train.

Second: Ports

Ports are considered to be the vital lifeline for Iraq’s Exports, thus, it is placed on the top priority of the government and the Ministry of Transportation projects agenda for rehabilitation and development.

The state Company for Iraq’s Ports which is responsible for managing and supervising all of the country’s ports and commercial berths (an approximately 48 berths), is currently planning to increase the capacity of ports from 15,9 Million Tons/year to 53 Million Tons/Year by 2018, as well as implementing 13 commercial berths during the next two years.

1. Major Port of Fao

Project type: New
Project cost: $ 6 b.
Project location: Basra
Designed capacity:
1st stage 2018: containers: 24 million ton/ year, sporadic items: 24 million ton/ year.
2nd stage 2028: containers: 40 million ton/ year, sporadic items: 32 million ton/ year.
3rd stage 2038: containers: 70 million ton/ year, sporadic items: 44 million ton/ year.
First: The project consists of:

• 8 km Eastern Wave brakes.
• 15 km western Wave brakes.
• Tow lines of Container berths, each of it is 3.5 km long, which is equals to 12 berths for each line, which is a total of 24 container berths with yards for container storage.
• Berths for sporadic goods (grains, cement, etc.) of 3.5 km with the conveyor belts, which equals 13 berths.
• berths for oil derivatives export and import (located out of the port basin)
• Road and railway lines net.
• Spaces for buildings and yards for trailer parking (almost 4 sq km).
• 30 km navigation canal and 17m depth.
• 4.5 km berths for various goods, (Equals 22 berths).
• Space for the industrial area (almost 8.5 sq km).
• Depths within the harbor basin vary between 15-17 m.

Second: the new port’s requirements have been specified which includes the number and the dimensions of the required berths and spaces for container and sporadic items (wheat and others) depending on the expected volume of goods handled for the next thirty years to meet the local needs.

2. Establishment of 13 multi-purpose berths at Um Qasir port

Project type: New
Project cost: $ 500 m.
Project location: Basra (River 1, opposite to the berths of Um Qasir port).
Designed capacity: 3.750.000 ton/ year.
This project is a complementary part to the current existed ports at Um Qasir. It aims to increase the capacity of goods charging and discharging at the port by establishing (13) multi-purpose container berths, in addition to its attachments, equipments, services, service buildings, shelters, pullers, railways, internal roads, some container berths , and designated berths on a plot of 151773 sq m. at the location of river (1) opposite to the berths of Um Qasir port.

3. Establishment of 13 multi-purpose berths at Khur Al-Zubair port

Project type: New
Project cost: $ 500 m.
Project location: Basra (Southward of the berths of Khur Al-Zubair port).
Designed capacity: 4.250.000 ton/ year.
Since the berths capacities at the ports are limited, a suggestion was presented to establish a new separated concrete berths depending on steel pipe prop; four with the buildings and services for containers.
The project includes establishing of (13) multi-purpose container berths with all their requirements on a plot of 150.740 sq m. southward of the berths of Khur Al-Zubair port to increase handling capacity of the berths as their current capacity is (4) million ton/ year. The establishment of these berths shall increase the capacity of the port.

Third: Airports:

Baghdad International Airport is considered to be one of the largest Airports in Iraq, there are several substantial plans for expansion in fields related to aviation service in order to meet the growing demand for Airports in the future.

Several international airlines were added recently to conduct direct flights between Iraq and neighboring Gulf Countries and Europe as well. In addition to that there are several international airports distributed in some provinces such as Irbil Airport, Mosul Airport, Basra Airport and Holly Najaf Airport.

Central Euphrates Airport Project (Central Location amidst the Provinces of Babylon, Holy Karbala, Holy Najaf, and Diwaniyah)

Project type: New
Project cost: unspecified.
Project location: It services the Provinces of (Holy Karbala, Holy Najaf, Babylon and Diwaniyah).
Designed capacity:
1st stage: 6 million passengers.
2nd stage: 12 million passengers.
3rd stage: 20 million passengers.
It is one of the crucial strategic projects which will facilitate transportation in the central Euphrates areas and will activate and promote religious tourism at these Provinces.

• A contract was signed with French Company to study the technical and economic visibility of the project; the company also shall prepare and present the project designs.
• The project is held on an area of 45.717 km².
• Project components/ 1st stage

1. Travelers Building.
2. 4.500 m runway (code 4 F) capable for Airbus A380 landing.
3. 12 Contact for (2 code F airplanes, 10 code E/2C), and a number of airplane remote landing.
4. 60 m air monitoring tower.
5. Airport City (its service facilities will be announced as investment opportunities).
6. Air charge building and its yard.
7. Airplane maintenance facilities.

Maysan Airport Project

Project type: New
Project cost: unspecified.
Project location: Al-Bitterah Military Airport.
Land Ownership: Ministry of Finance.

Al-Mosul International Airport Project

Project Description: construction of a runway with its facilities, buildings and tower.
Project type: New
Project cost: unspecified.
Project Area: 15,000,000 m².