A New Overland Oil Route
About 5,000 tanker trucks loaded with crude oil cross Syrian territory every day, carrying supplies from southern Iraq to the Mediterranean port of Baniyas. The daily convoy moves day and night across the desert toward the coast, turning the country into a transit point for regional energy flows.
The movement began in April 2026 as a limited experiment by Iraqi oil exporters searching for a path that avoids the Strait of Hormuz, before growing into a wide daily flow.
Bypassing the Strait of Hormuz
The route opened after shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted amid the war between Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other. Gulf producers have been seeking export options less exposed to the waterway, where traffic was halted during the fighting.
Under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the government is working to establish the country as a land corridor linking the Arab Gulf to the Mediterranean, using its geography and the port of Baniyas as an outlet toward Europe.
A Proposed Chevron Pipeline
In July 2026, the United States administration announced support for a Chevron-led pipeline project to move 2 million barrels of oil per day from Basra in southern Iraq to Baniyas, following the same land path the trucks use today.
The proposed line would stretch about 1,000 miles at an estimated cost of $5.7 billion and take at least two and a half years to complete.
Rail and Trade Agreements
Energy is not the only sector involved. Agreements have been signed with Turkey and Saudi Arabia to rehabilitate a railway linking Europe to the Red Sea through Syrian territory, offering an alternative to the Bab al-Mandab strait and the Suez Canal.
Separate agreements with Iraq aim to ease the movement of goods from the Gulf toward Europe across the country, strengthening its place in regional transport and trade networks.
Infrastructure Still a Hurdle
The opportunities come alongside significant challenges tied to damaged infrastructure. Vital facilities, pumping stations, and oil installations still require rehabilitation and investment to raise their operational readiness.
Roads and areas along the transit path also need further upgrading and stronger safety measures to improve the efficiency of shipments and reduce accidents on the routes now in use.