Iraq is now open for international business, thanks to the valiant efforts of a Turkish wreck salvage expert and his Iraqi team of divers who have cleared the port of Umm Qasr of over 33 wrecks.

Mr Kahraman Sadikoglu, who runs an international shipping business and wreck salvage operation, has been in Iraq ever since 2003, clearing the Iraqi port of the many wrecks that litter the jetties. No stranger to Iraq, Mr Sadikoglu was kidnapped and held to ransom by insurgents in 2005 but survived the ordeal and came back to Umm Qasr to help the people of Iraq. The port had been closed for sometime due to the proximity of the wrecks to the loading/unloading jetties that allow the ships to dock and disgorge their precious cargoes.

Thanks to his efforts and those of the coalition forces who have secured the port, 24 jetties are now open for use. The 34th lift that took place at Jetty 9 was that of an Iraqi mine laying boat that was bombed by an RAF Tornado in the early part of Operation Telic 1. A further 10 ships a month would be able to use Jetty 9 now that the wreck had been removed, adding considerable shipping capacity to the port.

Mr Sadikoglu said, “The port is moving and there is life there. From 2003 to 2006 there was very little security but when we came back in early 2008 it hadn’t changed. When the army troops moved here in August of 2008, suddenly it was like the light being turned on and off, the system here is completely changed, the port is 100% secure! There has been a big change in the last 3-4 months. Four months ago they did something here and now it’s secure”

The mine layer’s location made dredging the port very difficult; over 2 million cubic metres of silt requires removal from the port annually. It was also lying on the knuckle of the turn into the port making larger vessel’s navigation of the channel cumbersome.

The port is now thriving with over 300 shipping containers (30,000 tonnes of goods) being offloaded daily, that flow into Iraq and the wider Middle East. The port also supports over 48,000 people in the local area who depend on its commerce for their living. Over 70% of Iraq’s bulk food (rice, sugar, wheat etc) is imported through Umm Qasr, making it strategically vital for the Iraqi people.

Currently, B Squadron of the Queen’s Royal Hussars and 2 companies of the Iraqi commandos are based at Umm Qasr, providing security for the port. The Navy Transition Team consisting of Royal Navy and U.S. Navy personnel are also based in South Port helping to train the Iraqi navy.

DVIDS