Türkiye aims to develop alternative route to Strait of Hormuz within three years

Ankara (ANTARA) - Türkiye aims to complete a new transport corridor project connecting the Persian Gulf to Europe via Iraq within three years to reduce dependency on the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz, a key route for the maritime distribution of one-fifth of the world’s oil commodities, is facing risks of disruption amidst the conflict between the US and Iran.

“This project could potentially be completed within four to five years, but we will still discuss whether it can be completed within three years once work has commenced,” said Türkiye’s Minister of Transport, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, as quoted by the pro-government newspaper Yeni Safak on Friday.

The project includes the construction of railways, motorways, as well as telephone and energy infrastructure spanning 1,200 km from the Al-Faw Port in Iraq to Türkiye, with further connections to Europe.

Türkiye and Iraq have previously agreed on the construction of a new border crossing at Faysh Khabur-Ovakoy and a funding mechanism for the project, the report added.

Türkiye is also working to finalise the technical documentation and begin construction this year, prioritising the development of the railway line to ensure effective cargo transport to Europe and to reduce carbon emissions.

The report also noted that if the project is completed, it could reduce global logistics dependency on the Strait of Hormuz.

This large-scale project involves Türkiye, Iraq, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Türkiye envisions this new route as an alternative trade path that could serve as a bypass for maritime chokepoints, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal.