Adds Saudi ports' situation in final paragraph
Operations at several Mideast Gulf ports have resumed following precautionary shutdowns caused by drone-related incidents linked to the US-Iran war, according to port authorities and operators.
Cargo operations between Iraqi ports and regional Gulf ports are continuing normally, while operations through or beyond the strait have been suspended for all types of tankers, the Iraqi port authorities said late on 4 March. Tanker traffic came to a near standstill through the strait of Hormuz following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February and Iran's subsequent retaliatory attacks, effectively closing the strategic waterway and halting Iraq's exports.
Around 16 or 17 cargo ships are currently waiting in designated areas at Iraq's Umm Qasr North port and Umm Qasr South port, the authorities said, adding that "port work was continuing and procedures had been streamlined".
In the UAE, Abu Dhabi's AD Ports Group said all ports and terminals under its cluster, along with related services, continue to operate normally. The group owns and manages 10 ports and terminals across the country including Fujairah Terminals and Zayed port, which were both recently hit by drone strikes that led to precautionary shutdowns. At the Fujairah port, drone strikes on 3 March prompted storage operators to suspend activities and limit staff access, leaving the port open but largely inactive.
"While reduced traffic through the strait of Hormuz is expected to lead to fewer vessel calls at Khalifa port, services there will continue uninterrupted," AD Ports said on 4 March.
DP World, which operates Jebel Ali port, confirmed that operations have resumed after debris from a drone interception sparked a small fire at the facility.
Operations at Kuwait's Shuaiba port are gradually resuming following a precautionary suspension after debris fell near the facility on 28 February, state news agency Kuna reported. At Oman's Salalah port, cargo terminal operations have resumed after a drone incident affected the port on 3 March, according to a notice seen by Argus. Several drones also targeted Oman's Duqm port, with one striking near a fuel storage facility, but it remains unclear whether operations at the port were affected.
In Saudi Arabia all ports are operating normally, according to a shipping agent, although ports on the Mideast Gulf coast are only handling domestic calls.
