Basra is iraq's historic river port on the Shatt al-Arab, working break-bulk, general cargo and smaller coastal vessels, operated by General Company for Ports of Iraq (Maqal and the Shatt al-Arab river berths) at Basra. It works Restricted by the Shatt al-Arab channel — typically under 8 m of alongside draft and river berths handling general and break-bulk cargo rather than large container volumes. Cargo discharged here clears under Iraq rules — 5% customs duty, 0% VAT and 3–7 working days for a complete file. For break-bulk or bagged consignments discharged close to Basra city; deep-draught container vessels cannot navigate the river and must use Umm Qasr.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Basra, Iraq |
| Operator | General Company for Ports of Iraq (Maqal and the Shatt al-Arab river berths) |
| Container capacity | River berths handling general and break-bulk cargo rather than large container volumes |
| Alongside draft | Restricted by the Shatt al-Arab channel — typically under 8 m |
| Cargo handled | Break-bulk and general cargo, Bagged commodities, Steel and construction materials, Coastal and barge traffic |
| Hinterland served | Basra city and the immediate southern governorates |
| Attached facilities | River quays with conventional cranes; no deep-water container terminal or free zone |
| Origin | Est. freight (USD) | Transit (days) | Service into this port | Route detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | $1,400 | 6 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| India | $1,500 | 12 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Turkey | $1,900 | 14 | Strong direct / high-frequency | View route |
| Singapore | $2,000 | 12 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| China | $2,200 | 22 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Vietnam | $2,300 | 23 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| South Korea | $2,400 | 24 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Italy | $2,900 | 20 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Netherlands | $3,038 | 29 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| Germany | $3,200 | 31 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
| USA | $4,200 | 38 | Via feeder or transhipment | View route |
For break-bulk or bagged consignments discharged close to Basra city; deep-draught container vessels cannot navigate the river and must use Umm Qasr.
Inland, Basra serves Basra city and the immediate southern governorates. River quays with conventional cranes; no deep-water container terminal or free zone.
The lanes with the strongest direct or high-frequency service into Basra are Turkey, Egypt, India — those sailings are usually the cheapest and most schedule-reliable way to reach this terminal.
Iraq's sea imports move through Umm Qasr and Basra, dominated by reconstruction materials, foodstuffs and industrial inputs.
Cargo discharged at Basra clears under Iraq customs rules — IQD is the settlement currency and duty and VAT are assessed on the declared CIF value. Importers routing through Basra should budget both the ocean freight shown above and destination charges (THC, documentation, delivery order and inland haulage), which the landed cost calculator itemises.
Estimate all-in shipping costs into Basra.