Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq’s seaborne crude oil shipments increased in July 2026 by more than 153 percent, or 757,000 barrels per day, compared to the previous month.
Iraqi oil shipments by sea rose to over 1.25 million barrels per day in July compared to 493,000 barrels per day in June, according to Attaqa News.
Despite this partial recovery, Iraqi shipments remain significantly lower than pre-war levels, reflecting a 63 percent decline from the July 2025 figure of 3.38 million barrels per day.
With the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Baghdad’s major marine trade route, strains on the state budget are increasing due to declining oil earnings.
The decrease in revenue from oil exports has driven the Iraqi government to accelerate its search for alternative land routes to export crude oil via neighboring countries.
In July, Iraq’s seaborne crude oil exports reached one million barrels per day for the first time since March 2026, marking the end of a steep fall.
The country’s oil exports totaled 3.31 million barrels per day in January, 3.34 million barrels per day in February, 542,000 barrels per day in March, 132,000 barrels per day in April, 98,000 barrels per day in May, 493,000 barrels per day in June, and 1.25 million barrels per day in July.
The figures show that Iraq’s average offshore oil exports fell by 60 percent between January and July 2026, hitting 1.31 million barrels per day compared to 3.33 million barrels per day during the same period in 2025.
The partial restart of commercial activity in the Strait of Hormuz prior to increased tensions and the development of the situation fueled this spike.
