A doctoral thesis in the Department of Geography / College of Education for Humanities, University of Basra / examined the strategic importance of maritime navigation routes in Iraq for the period (2009-2021) by the student Rawida Mustafa Mansour Al-Qannas
The thesis dealt with
The thesis dealt with four chapters. The first chapter dealt with the historical development of Iraqi maritime navigation routes, and the second chapter dealt with the impact of natural and human geographical factors on maritime navigation movement in Iraq. The third chapter deals with Iraq's trade and its role in foreign economic relations, while the fourth chapter highlights the role of Iraqi maritime transport in economic development and its future expectations.
Thesis objective
The study aims to demonstrate the importance of Iraqi shipping lanes currently and in the future by highlighting their role and importance in meeting the needs of the population for various goods and commodities and demonstrating their role in the country's economy as the lifeline of Iraq.
The thesis concluded that Iraqi maritime transport has a significant impact on economic development as it helps in strengthening national economies by facilitating international trade and transporting goods efficiently and at a low cost.
The total financial revenues collected by the state from Iraqi seaports amounted to (40219) billion dinars annually for both the General Company for Iraqi Ports and the General Company for Maritime Transport.
The study recommended
1- Improving legislation and procedures by enacting a law to protect Iraqi waterways and imposing strict legal procedures against any party trying to influence them because they represent the lifeline of the country.
2- Promoting Iraq as a regional trade center and taking advantage of Iraq's strategic geographical location to enhance trade movement


