Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government resume oil exports via Ceyhan port
Restores an export route through Turkiye's Ceyhan port, reopening a pathway for northern Iraqi crude shipments. The change alters regional export availability for global crude benchmarks.
Change
Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government restarted oil flows through Turkiye's Ceyhan port at 07:00 GMT on March 18 and targeted at least 100,000 barrels per day via the route.
Why it matters
Refinery and procurement teams must treat the resumption as limited relief because Iraq's main southern oilfields remain roughly 70% below normal, so overall market shortages are not resolved. Traders and logistics planners must continue to factor elevated shipping risk around the Strait of Hormuz into sourcing and routing decisions.
Implications
- — Refinery crude procurement teams must secure or rebook cargoes loading from Ceyhan to replace disrupted southern shipments or face feedstock shortfalls.
- — Crude trading desks at oil trading firms must adjust and hedge open positions to reflect incremental volumes from Ceyhan or risk settlement and margin mismatches.
Unlock the decision layer.
Know what's at risk and what to do next.
- Implications: What this forces you to change — operations, exposure, or compliance.
- Who is affected: Which roles, contracts, and obligations are exposed.
- What to watch: Binding deadlines and enforcement dates.
- Real-time alerts: Delivered the moment a binding change is published.
- Ask AI: Ask what this means for your specific role.
No credit card · 14-day trial · Active in seconds
Unlock the decision layer