Banias Port Handles Iraqi Oil
The Banias port in Syria's Tartous governorate has recorded heightened activity since the start of 2026, receiving 108 tankers loaded with about 3.23 million tons of assorted petroleum products. The figures were released on 6 August 2026 by the government authority that oversees border crossings and customs.
The scale of traffic underscores the coastal terminal's active role in commercial shipping and in the movement of fuel along Syria's Mediterranean coast, where it has also expanded services for ship maintenance, repair and technical conversion.
Two Million Tons in Transit
The port exported more than two million tons of Iraqi oil under a transit arrangement that routes the crude across Syrian territory. Those shipments moved aboard 30 tankers carrying fuel oil and refined distillates.
The transit traffic gives the terminal a cross-border function in regional energy flows, carrying Iraqi crude through Syria toward onward markets.
Repair and Conversion Yards
The facility also took in 19 vessels for maintenance and repair during the period. The work covered routine servicing, structural and mechanical repairs, and overhauls of engines, deck equipment and technical fittings.
Some ships underwent specialized conversion into livestock carriers, a line of work the port's yards have built up over years and now perform with locally trained crews working to approved international standards.
Role in the Energy Sector
The terminal was described as continuing a central role in supporting the energy sector and maritime transport, with the responsible authority backing plans to raise its operational readiness and expand its oil and marine services.
Improved technical standards, the authority said, had strengthened shipowners' confidence in the port and drawn additional vessels for servicing and conversion. It added that it continues to support the port's development plans and to provide the facilities needed for the movement of tankers and other ships, reinforcing the terminal's position on the Syrian coast.