Iraq prepares crude and naphtha exports via Syria’s Baniyas port after Hormuz disruption

Iraq is preparing to export crude oil and naphtha through Syria after the Iran war effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz and curtailed its main Gulf shipping routes. The initial plan would move about 50,000 barrels per day by tanker-truck once loading facilities are ready, with operations expected to start in early July. The Baniyas route is described as a wartime workaround rather than a long-term normal channel, and capacity is constrained by damaged infrastructure and frequent disruptions. The shift underscores a physical interruption to a key Middle East export corridor that could briefly affect global crude supply flows.