Maritime security is vital to Iraq’s reconstruction with sustained international trade being key to the country’s economic success, according to the maritime director of Hart Security, an organisation specialising in mitigating global land, sea and air security risks.

The organisation has been involved with providing security services in Iraq since early 2003.
David Fairnie says that although the Iraqi government continues to address transportation infrastructure issues, and ports are generally operating normally, piracy, criminality and maritime insurgency have become a considerable concern, particularly for shipping and oil terminals.
“Oil exports currently provide Iraq with the life-blood of its reconstruction efforts, without which the country’s ability to build and regenerate will be greatly hampered,” he explained.
“Until either a dedicated waterborne protection force is in place, or a system is developed that would allow vessels to radically minimise time at anchor, the risks may well prove too high and ship owners and operators will choose to go elsewhere.”
Fairnie was speaking in advance of his planned address at Middle East Money & Ships - the region’s conference for maritime financiers, insurers, lawyers, banks and investors, being held at the Grand Hyatt Dubai from December 12-13, 2005.
He believes that a main concern of the international business community is the safety of operating in Iraq, including within the ports and at the offshore terminals.
“For the financial community, investing in such an unstable environment brings concerns of inflated costs versus return ratios due to the additional security protection requirement.”