Specialized Logistics Services Iraq: Advanced Capabilities for Complex Operations

1. Temporary Import License (TIL) Management

What It Is

Temporary Import Licenses allow equipment, machinery, and materials to enter Iraq duty-free for a specified period (typically 6-24 months) with the obligation to re-export. TILs are critical for oil field equipment maintenance, construction projects, medical equipment demonstrations, event materials, and any scenario where expensive equipment enters Iraq temporarily without permanent import intent.

Who Needs It

• Oil & Gas Operators: Drilling equipment, well servicing tools, specialized maintenance gear requiring temporary entry into Iraqi oil fields (Basra, Kirkuk, Rumaila)
• Construction Companies: Heavy machinery, cranes, specialized equipment for infrastructure projects in Baghdad, Erbil, Mosul reconstruction
• Event Organizers: Exhibition materials, audiovisual equipment, booth structures for trade shows and conferences
• Medical Equipment Suppliers: Demonstration units, trial equipment, diagnostic machines for hospital evaluation periods
• International Contractors: Project-specific tools and materials requiring re-export after contract completion

Complete TIL Management Process

Successful temporary import license applications require understanding Ministry of Trade procedures, proper documentation preparation, and ongoing compliance tracking. Our Fast-Track Program delivers approvals in 5-7 business days (compared to standard 4-6 week processing) with a 100% approval success rate since 2023.

Our complete TIL service includes:

• Pre-Application Audit: Review of equipment specifications, intended use in Iraq, project timelines, and regulatory eligibility assessment before application submission to identify potential issues early
• Documentation Preparation: Compilation of required documents including equipment commercial invoices, detailed technical specifications, Iraqi project contracts proving temporary use necessity, Iraqi company registration documents, and supporting authorization letters
• HS Code Classification: Proper tariff classification under Iraq's Harmonized System implementation to ensure correct duty calculations for customs bond requirements (bonds typically set at 110% of calculated duty)
• Bank Customs Bond Arrangement: Coordination of Iraqi bank-issued customs bonds (required for TIL values exceeding $50,000 as of 2025 Customs Law) or alternative bank guarantee arrangements. Previous cash deposit system has been phased out.
• Ministry Submission & Follow-up: Direct submission to Ministry of Trade Import/Export Department with established contact relationships. Daily follow-up on application status through ministry liaison channels.
• Approval Notification & Customs Coordination: Immediate notification upon Ministry approval, coordination with General Commission for Customs at entry point (Umm Qasr Port, Baghdad Airport, land borders) for duty-free clearance processing
• Re-Export Compliance Tracking: Timeline monitoring throughout temporary import period, re-export documentation preparation before TIL expiration, Iraqi Customs verification to formally close TIL obligations and release bonds

Typical TIL Processing Timeline: Application preparation (2-3 days for complete documentation assembly) → Ministry review via Fast-Track channels (5-7 days) → Approval notification (same day upon Ministry decision) → Customs clearance coordination (1-2 days at entry point). Total timeline: 8-12 days from initial engagement to duty-free equipment delivery in Iraq.

2. Bitumen & Petroleum Product Transport

Bitumen (asphalt binder) and petroleum product transportation requires specialized equipment, safety protocols, and regulatory compliance. Direct Drive Logistic operates dedicated petroleum tanker fleets with temperature control systems, hazmat certifications, and comprehensive insurance coverage for high-value petroleum cargo throughout Iraq and cross-border routes.

Specialized Infrastructure & Capabilities

• Temperature-Controlled Tankers: Heated tanker fleet maintaining bitumen at 150-180°C (302-356°F) during transport to prevent solidification. Tankers equipped with heating systems, insulation, and temperature monitoring throughout journey.
• Petroleum Product Variety: Transport capabilities for bitumen/asphalt, diesel fuel, gasoline/petrol, crude oil, lubricating oils, and petroleum derivatives across Iraq's road network and international routes.
• Safety & Compliance Protocols: Hazmat-certified drivers trained in petroleum handling, fire suppression systems installed in all tankers, spill containment equipment (absorbent materials, containment barriers), emergency response plans filed with Iraqi Ministry of Environment, and 24/7 emergency coordination hotline.
• Route Expertise & Infrastructure: Established petroleum transport corridors including Iraq-Turkey routes via Ibrahim Khalil border (for imports from Mediterranean refineries), Iraq-Iran routes via Mehran and Khosravi crossings (for Iranian petroleum imports), domestic delivery routes to Basra refineries, Baghdad construction sites, and Kurdistan Region infrastructure projects.
• Regulatory Compliance Framework: Full adherence to IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations Class 3 (flammable liquids) for air freight connections, IMDG Code (International Maritime Dangerous Goods) for ocean freight at Umm Qasr Port, Iraqi Ministry of Oil petroleum transport regulations, and Ministry of Environment hazmat handling requirements.
• Comprehensive Insurance Coverage: Cargo insurance covering petroleum product value (typically $50K-$500K per tanker load), environmental liability insurance for potential spill incidents, third-party property damage coverage, and driver accident insurance.

Common Applications & Industries Served

Construction Projects: Bitumen delivery for road paving projects (Baghdad-Erbil highway, Basra ring road, Mosul reconstruction), airport runway construction, industrial site paving.

Refinery Operations: Crude oil transport to Iraqi refineries (Baiji, Basra, Kirkuk), petroleum product distribution from refineries to fuel stations and industrial consumers.

Industrial Facilities: Bulk petroleum derivatives for manufacturing, lubricating oils for machinery maintenance, diesel fuel for generator operations in areas with unreliable electricity.

Cross-Border Petroleum Trade: Iran-Iraq petroleum corridor (one of region's largest petroleum trade routes), Turkey-Iraq bitumen imports, Kuwait-Iraq fuel distribution.

Infrastructure Requirements

Petroleum transport infrastructure requires significant capital investment: specialized heated tankers ($200K-$300K per vehicle depending on capacity and specifications), hazmat training and certification programs for drivers (initial training + annual recertification), higher insurance premiums (3-5x standard cargo insurance due to hazmat risk), regulatory compliance systems, and emergency response equipment. These requirements create natural barriers to entry for general freight carriers.

3. Door-to-Door Multimodal Solutions

True door-to-door service means a single logistics provider managing every step from origin pickup to final delivery—not coordinating multiple subcontractors with fragmented communication. Direct Drive Logistic provides genuine end-to-end multimodal logistics combining air, ocean, and land transport with unified management, single-point-of-contact coordination, and real-time tracking across all transport modes.

Complete Multimodal Capabilities

• Global Origin Pickup: Collection services from supplier facilities worldwide including factories in China/Southeast Asia, warehouses in Europe/North America, distribution centers in GCC countries. Coordination with local pickup carriers and consolidation at international airports/seaports.
• International Air Freight Operations: Established relationships with major carriers serving Iraq: Turkish Airlines Cargo (via Istanbul hub), Qatar Airways Cargo (via Doha hub), Emirates SkyCargo (via Dubai hub), FlyBaghdad Cargo (direct to Baghdad). Coordination includes booking, dangerous goods handling when applicable, customs clearance at Iraqi airports (Baghdad International, Erbil International, Basra International).
• Ocean Freight Consolidation Services: Container booking and consolidation through Umm Qasr Port (Iraq's primary commercial seaport handling 80%+ of maritime cargo). Services include Full Container Load (FCL) for large shipments, Less-than-Container Load (LCL) for smaller shipments with consolidation, and roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) for vehicles and heavy equipment.
• Cross-Border Land Transportation: Domestic delivery within Iraq (Baghdad, Erbil, Basra, Mosul, Sulaymaniyah, Najaf, Karbala, Duhok) or international trucking from neighboring countries: Turkey via Ibrahim Khalil border, Iran via Bashmakh/Khosrovi/Mehran borders, Jordan via Trebil border, Kuwait via Safwan crossing, Saudi Arabia via Arar crossing.
• Integrated Customs Brokerage: Complete customs clearance services at all Iraqi entry points including airports (Baghdad, Erbil, Basra), seaports (Umm Qasr, Khor Al-Zubair), land borders (multiple crossings with Turkey, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia). Single customs filing covering entire multimodal journey.
• Final Mile Delivery Services: Delivery to your exact destination including warehouses in industrial zones, construction job sites (urban and remote), oil field locations, retail facilities, or residential addresses. Includes offloading assistance, delivery confirmation, and proof of delivery documentation.
• Unified Project Management: One dedicated logistics coordinator serves as your single point of contact managing your entire shipment lifecycle. No handoffs between departments, no lost communication between transport modes, complete accountability from origin to destination.
• Real-Time Tracking & Visibility: GPS tracking across all transport modes (air/ocean/land), automated status updates at key milestones (pickup, departure, arrival, customs clearance, final delivery), web portal access for real-time shipment visibility, and proactive communication when exceptions occur.

Why Genuine Multimodal Capabilities Matter

Effective multimodal logistics requires unified communication systems across all transport modes, single-point accountability for end-to-end performance, established carrier relationships for each mode (air/ocean/land), customs expertise at all entry points, and coordinated exception handling when delays occur.

When multiple subcontractors manage individual legs independently without unified coordination, common issues include communication gaps at handoff points (ocean carrier doesn't notify land carrier of arrival delays), lost visibility during transport mode transitions, finger-pointing when delays occur ("not our responsibility, talk to the ocean carrier"), and no single party accountable for end-to-end service level commitments.

4. Multilingual Documentation Services

Iraq's linguistic diversity—Arabic (official national language), Kurdish (co-official in Kurdistan Region), English (international business standard), and Persian/Farsi (Iran trade corridor)—creates documentation bottlenecks that delay customs clearance and create compliance risks when documents aren't available in required languages. Direct Drive Logistic's in-house translation team provides professional document translation with cultural adaptation, technical terminology accuracy, and legal notarization, eliminating translation delays that commonly plague Iraq logistics operations.

Comprehensive Translation Services

• Language Pair Coverage: Arabic ↔ English, Kurdish ↔ Arabic, Kurdish ↔ English, Persian/Farsi ↔ Arabic, Persian/Farsi ↔ English. All language pairs delivered by native speakers with logistics industry experience.
• Document Types Supported: Commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, technical specifications for equipment, product catalogs and brochures, supply agreements and contracts, government permits and licenses, customs declarations and forms, correspondence with Iraqi/KRG ministries, safety data sheets (SDS) for chemicals, quality certificates and test reports.
• Cultural & Technical Adaptation: Translation goes beyond literal word-for-word conversion. We adapt terminology to Iraq/KRG regulatory language standards, convert units of measurement (metric vs imperial, temperature scales), adjust formatting to Iraqi government document standards, and adapt cultural references for local context understanding.
• Legal Notarization & Certification: Certified translations with official translator stamps accepted by Iraqi Customs, Ministry of Trade licensing departments, KRG government offices, banking institutions for letters of credit, and court proceedings when required.
• Technical Specialization: Translators assigned based on industry expertise: oil & gas terminology (drilling, completion, production), medical device specifications (diagnostic equipment, surgical instruments), construction materials and methods, pharmaceutical documentation, automotive and machinery technical specs. Specialized knowledge ensures accuracy beyond general translation.
• Turnaround Time Commitments: Standard documents (invoices, packing lists, certificates) translated within 24 hours. Technical documents requiring specialized review delivered within 48-72 hours. Rush service available for urgent customs clearance needs (4-8 hour turnaround with premium pricing).

In-House Translation Strategic Advantage

Iraqi Customs at all entry points (Umm Qasr Port, Baghdad Airport, land borders) frequently delays shipments when documentation isn't available in Arabic or when translations contain errors inconsistent with customs filing requirements. Using external translation services typically adds 3-7 business days to clearance timelines due to outsourcing delays, creates version control issues when multiple translators work on related documents, and generates back-and-forth when translations don't meet customs standards.

Our in-house translation capability means documents are translated immediately upon shipment booking, ensuring customs-ready Arabic documentation arrives with your cargo at Iraqi entry points—no delays, no coordination issues, no customs rejections due to translation errors.

Measurable Impact: Since establishing in-house translation in 2020, we've processed over 50,000 logistics documents across all language pairs. Our analysis shows clients using our translation services experience 4.5 days faster average customs clearance compared to clients using external translation services (5.2 days vs 9.7 days average clearance time). For time-sensitive shipments—medical supplies with short shelf life, project equipment with contractual delivery deadlines, perishable goods—this speed advantage often determines project success or costly penalties.

5. Cross-Border Trade Facilitation (Iran-Iraq Corridor)

The Iran-Iraq trade corridor represents one of the Middle East's most significant commercial routes and one of its most complex from a logistics perspective. Understanding U.S. sanctions frameworks, dual regulatory requirements (Iranian export laws + Iraqi import laws), border crossing procedures at multiple entry points, and payment structures requires specialized expertise developed through years of cross-border operations.

Cross-Border Trade Capabilities

• Border Crossing Operations & Expertise: Established operational presence at all major Iran-Iraq border crossings with detailed knowledge of procedures, timing, and requirements at each location.
• Dual Customs Brokerage Services: Licensed customs broker relationships on both Iranian side (coordinated through Iranian freight forwarders) and Iraqi side (Direct Drive licensed customs brokers). Ensures proper clearance procedures in both jurisdictions with unified documentation and communication.
• Sanctions Compliance Framework: Comprehensive expertise in U.S. OFAC sanctions requirements including screening against Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list and sectoral sanctions, advising on permissible humanitarian trade (food, medicine, medical devices exempted from sanctions), guidance on agricultural product trade exemptions, understanding dual-use goods restrictions and licensing requirements, and coordination with legal counsel for complex scenarios.
• Payment Structure Facilitation: Understanding of compliant payment mechanisms for Iran-Iraq trade under current sanctions framework including restricted Iraqi bank accounts for Iranian energy payments (under 120-day waiver program), letter of credit arrangements through permitted financial channels, and cash-based payment structures for permitted trade categories.
• Documentation Management for Dual Jurisdictions: Preparation and coordination of all required export/import documentation: Iranian customs export declarations, Iraqi customs import declarations (ASYCUDA filing), certificates of origin from Iranian Chamber of Commerce, quality certificates for food products and consumer goods, phytosanitary certificates for agricultural imports, and end-use certifications when required for controlled goods.
• Security Checkpoint & Route Coordination: Management of security checkpoints along border routes (Iraqi side typically has multiple checkpoints approaching border), coordination with local authorities (Asayish security in KRG areas, Iraqi security forces in federal areas), route planning to avoid conflict-affected areas or closed crossings, and convoy coordination for valuable cargo requiring security escorts.

Iran-Iraq Border Crossing Procedures by Gateway

Common Iran-Iraq Trade Categories

Permitted Trade Under Current Framework: Agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, rice, wheat), construction materials (cement, steel, building supplies), industrial inputs and raw materials, energy sector equipment under waiver programs (electrical equipment, gas compressors), consumer goods for Iraqi retail markets, automotive parts and accessories.

Cross-Border Complexity Factors

Iran-Iraq trade combines multiple operational challenges: U.S. OFAC sanctions compliance requirements (must screen all transactions and parties), dual regulatory frameworks requiring understanding of both Iranian export regulations and Iraqi import regulations, language barriers requiring Persian-Arabic translation capabilities, currency exchange challenges (USD, EUR, IQD, IRR), security considerations along border routes and inside Iraq, and payment structure complexity under sanctions restrictions.

These complexities mean successful Iran-Iraq trade facilitation requires established relationships on both sides of border, sanctions compliance expertise with legal counsel access, multilingual operational staff, customs broker networks in both countries, and years of experience navigating changing regulations and political conditions.