Iraq's $17BN Suez Canal Rival

For over 150 years, the Suez Canal in Egypt has been the key to trade between Europe and Asia. But recently, a new project has been launched that aims to transform the current course of trade routes, turning Iraq into a new hub for international trade.

Iraq's bold plan is to build what some are calling a new Silk Road. A modernized network of roads and railroads stretching 1,200 kilometers from the Persian Gulf to Europe, via Baghdad and Turkey. Estimated at nearly $17 billion, this mega-project includes the construction of one of the world's largest ports. However, both the Iraqi Prime Minister and the Turkish President seem to agree that this new road is well worth the investment, as it will ultimately significantly develop the region's economy.

Today, Looking 4 takes you to the Middle East to discover this new Iraqi corridor, which could well redraw the map of trade routes.

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Video editing : Looking 4 / Tahina Randrianandraina
Animations: Tahina Randrianandraina

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00:00 The new Iraqi corridor
01:11 The importance of the Suez Canal
03:22 The new development route is launched with Turkey
04:10 Iraq's aging transport network
05:55 Construction of the large port of Al-Faw
06:45 The new freeway
07:19 New railway system
08:45 A multi-phase mega-project
09:13 Corridor projects in India and China

#construction #architecture #canaldesuez #irak

2024 Looking 4 (En) | All rights reserved.

[Baqer_Al-Iraqi]

Both the Iraqi and the Egyptian Governments have agreed that this project is to work alongside the Suez canal rather than replacing it.
Because let's face it, with how much trade is growing between the east amd the west there is no way one canal can keep up with it.

[plafskijenkins]

Iraq so has the potential to really become the new Babylon

[muichirotokitotokito]

good luck for iraq i wish them the best i get happy when i see middle east countries doing amazing !!! middle east deserve happiness i love iraq from saudi arabia <3

[bazah]

I’m praying this project will become a reality during my lifetime I really want to see my dear homeland prosperous 😔🇮🇶♥️

[DonCorr]

As an American. I pray for Iraqs prosperity

[Shahos_Animations]

I’m glad our allies are finally making amazing projects, we love you iraq 🇰🇼🇮🇶❤

[HeisenbergsUncertainty]

We're with you my Iraqi brothers 🇹🇷❤️🇮🇶

[dartagnan]

One thing this video got wrong
8:42
Is Iraqis are travelling a lot more than you think
Our economy is good
and we don’t use bus for traveling between cities
We use American Cars
Like Tahoe and chargers
Most taxi drivers in Iraq have dodge chargers and Chevy Tahoes
And it cost between 10$ -25$ depending on the city
and look for the statistics of airline flights
Look at how many people go to Turkey for vacations
Our only limitation is our passport
We can’t go to EUROPE for vacation
maybe Indonesia, Bali, UAE, Lebanon..etc but not Europe although i have many friends which got a visa to Europe and had wonderful vacation there

[DimeDoppler]

I'll be positive, the money is there and the need for a second corridor is there. I hope it all works out and this could be a stabilizer for Iraq. I think Turkiye is going to be a major player moving forward in the ME and Africa.

[cliffwoodbury]

Iraq should be one of the wealthiest nations in the world and it would be good to see the citizens live better lives. They are at a disadvantage if Southern Suadi and Iran develop rail lines because huge ships may drop any goods there so they can keep moving in the Indian Ocean, but until then this port should be major.

[hayripostalli]

Containers owned by a ship that will dock at Iraqi ports through this corridor. It will have the capacity to go to all of Russia and Europe with a single train transfer. A container train departing from Basra will reach Turkey in less than 1 day and reach the border of Greece and Bulgaria in 2 days. and these trains are fully electric, so transportation costs will become cheaper than ships. Transition from Basra to Europe in 3 days. Turkey has a very large container and railway capacity. If things get better, not 50 but even 200 trains can move a day.
It's a much shorter way.
Much faster.
Much CHEAPER

[RGB]

Good luck Iraq! Hope this all works out!

[robertbaisagale]

Awesome visionary move it definitely bring prosperity to Turkey and Iraq

[sherefedinnassir]

Eraqi and turkiye make a great deal. May allah helps them

[sarekeskin]

Turkish construction industry is very good, they can do this work in a very short time ..

[wouterkellerman]

All the best from South Africa!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[MohammedKarimzai]

Wonderful idea and I hope this project will bring unity, prosperity and success among Medal eastern countries.

[drnick]

A project like that is needed for Iraq. However the corruption is always an obstacle in this part of the world.

[jacquesmertens]

A capacity of 3.5 million containers per year? Forget about it !
You're probably one of many who don't know the difference between TEU and containers. Nearly all containers are 40ft, so the figure would be 1.75 million per year.
But even that figure is ludicrous. The largest train imaginable cannot carry more than 240 40 ft containers, and only in ideal circumstances (perfectly flat terrain, double stacking), but the road to Turkey would involve height differences, tunnels, etc., therefore each train would carry max. 100 containers, not more. You would need 17500 trains per year, or nearly 50 trains per day. The train ride would be very expensive, and there would be 2 container transfers, adding to the cost and causing extra delays.
7:49 Faster alternative?? You must be kidding.
Last but not least it's easy for Egypt to cripple any competitor by lowering the price for a few years. The price level has always been set just below the nearest competitor.

[MarijnRoorda]

I seriously doubt it's only going to cost 17 billion. Second, if you want high speed trains to use the same track as freight, you will seriously hamper both. Further more, on- and offloading takes time. And time is money in the world of shipping. I doubt they can off load cargo in Iraq, train it to turkey, and load it on a ship, and hope to be faster then simply floating it through the Suez canal. Not to mention the cost in carbon credits. Shipping being one of the forms of transportation that are for the most part being exempt from environmental measures, and power production in Iraq not being exactly carbon neutral by any standard. Also, the straits of Hormuz is already one of the most dangerous waterways in the world, bordering on plenty of nations with issues with one another. This whole project would be great if handled well, but with the nations currently involved, it appears as one more pipe dream by silly Arabs with more money then brains.