Lebanon to Inspect Facilities for Iraqi Fuel Oil Transit Through Syria

Lebanon is laying the groundwork for a project to transport Iraqi fuel oil via road through Syria to oil facilities in the northern city of Tripoli. While discussions are ongoing, the project has not yet reached the implementation phase.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is set to chair a meeting to discuss the issue and outline the necessary steps for the project's execution. The meeting will focus on identifying logistical and administrative gaps and requirements. Key officials, including the ministers of Energy and Water, Finance, and Public Works and Transport, along with representatives from customs and security, are expected to attend.

The talks will also address the condition of Lebanon's northern border crossings with Syria and the necessary rehabilitation work to expedite their readiness. The project's feasibility hinges on these crossings and the infrastructure to handle tanker truck traffic from Iraq through Syria and into Lebanon.

Energy Minister Joe Saddi is scheduled to inspect Tripoli's oil facilities, including storage tanks and infrastructure, to assess rehabilitation needs for receiving, storing, and re-exporting the fuel. The tour will also evaluate the capacity of roads leading to the facilities to manage expected tanker traffic.

This initiative, if realized, would represent a new dimension in oil cooperation between Beirut and Baghdad. Currently, Lebanon receives Iraqi fuel oil under an agreement to supply its state-owned power utility, with the fuel exchanged for types suitable for Lebanon's power plants. The new proposal envisions Lebanon serving as a transit route and storage hub for Iraqi fuel oil for re-export, a model similar to an existing operation transporting fuel to Syria's Baniyas port.