Iraq, Gulf States Reroute Oil via Syrian Ports as Hormuz Blockage Disrupts 20% of Global Supply
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 18
Iraq, Gulf States Reroute Oil via Syrian Ports as Hormuz Blockage Disrupts 20% of Global Supply
4 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 18
Iraq and Gulf states including the UAE have started moving oil and other goods overland to Syrian ports, turning Syria into a fallback export corridor after the Strait of Hormuz was blocked.
Syria’s Mediterranean coastline and borders with Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon make it one of the few regional alternatives to Hormuz, a waterway that carried a hefty share of global oil flows before the war.
Syrian officials said neighboring countries are already seeking access to its ports as they build contingency plans in case the disruption lasts.
Syria’s ability to capitalize is constrained by power and water shortages and by infrastructure damage left from the nearly 14-year civil war that ended in 2024.
How can Syria's new government balance its role as a neutral trade hub against the ongoing US-Iran conflict next door?
Can a nation still recovering from a 14-year war truly become a stable alternative to the Strait of Hormuz?
As billions in foreign investment pour into Syria, why do most citizens still lack reliable electricity and live in poverty?