Umm Qasr Port: Difference between revisions

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Umm Qasr Port is an Iraqi port.

Iraq's only deep water port, it is located in Basrah. Strategically important, it lies on the mouth of the Shatt al Arab waterway, which leads into Basra, from the Persian Gulf.

Second Gulf War

The Battle of Umm Qasr was the first military confrontation in the Iraq War, with its objective the capture of the port.

On March 21 2003, the assault was spearheaded by the US 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the British 3 Commando Brigade of the Royal Marines and the Polish GROM troops. Iraqi forces put up unexpectedly strong resistance, requiring several days' fighting before the area was cleared of defenders.^[1] After the waterway was de-mined by a Detachment from HM-14 and Naval Special Clearance Team ONE of the U.S. Navy and reopened, Umm Qasr played an important role in the shipment of humanitarian supplies to Iraqi civilians.^[2]

The port was declared safe and open on March 25th 2003, after Royal Marines took over control of the port and conducted raids into the old part of town. Coalition minesweepers, including HMS Bangor aided by divers and US Navy MH-53E helicopters and trained dolphins and seals located and cleared the approach to the port of mines allowing RFA Sir Galahad to dock after a couple of days.

Reconstruction

On 23 May 2003, control of the facility was transferred from the Royal Marines to Stevedoring Service of America (SSA). The company is responsible for both operations as well as restoration and renovation of the facility, which will be turned over to Iraqi civilian control when it is fully operational.^[3]

In January 2004 it was announced that work would start on a $10.3 million project to renovate the Umm Qasr Naval Base, funded through the Project Management Office (PMO) of the Coalition Provisional Authority. To enable the Iraqi Armed Forces the facilities they need for the defence of their country, the project includes building renovation; construction of electrical, water and sanitary sewage systems; security improvements; dock repair and dredging. The prime contractor was Weston Solutions, Inc. of West Chester, Pennsylvania, who completed the work in mid-May 2004.^[3]

References

^ "Fierce battle around port," The Guardian, 24 March 2003
^ "Iraq aid confined to south", The Guardian, 2 April 2003
^ ^a ^b "Umm Qasr". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2009-05-16.

[1] "Fierce battle around port," The Guardian, 24 March 2003

[2] "Iraq aid confined to south", The Guardian, 2 April 2003

[GloablSec-3] "Umm Qasr". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2009-05-16.

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@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 Iraq's only [[deep water port]], it is located in [[Basrah]]. Strategically important, it lies on the mouth of the [[Shatt al Arab]] [[waterway]], which leads into [[Basra]], from the [[Persian Gulf]].
+===Second Gulf War===
-After the port was captured during the [[Second Gulf War]] by the [[British Army]], on 23 May 2003 control of the facility was transferred to [[Stevedoring Service of America]] (SSA). The company is responsible for both operations as well as restoration and renovation of the facility, which will be turned over to Iraqi civilian control when it is fully operational.<ref name="GloablSec"/>
+{{main|Battle of Umm Qasr}}
+The [[Battle of Umm Qasr]] was the first military confrontation in the [[Iraq War]], with its objective the capture of the port.
+On  [[March 21]] [[2003]], the assault was spearheaded by the US [[15th Marine Expeditionary Unit]], the British [[3 Commando Brigade]] of the [[Royal Marines]] and the [[Poland|Polish]] [[GROM]] troops. Iraqi forces put up unexpectedly strong resistance, requiring several days' fighting before the area was cleared of defenders.<ref>"[http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,920580,00.html Fierce battle around port]," ''The Guardian'', 24 March 2003</ref> After the waterway was de-mined by a Detachment from [[HM-14]] and Naval Special Clearance Team ONE of the U.S. Navy and reopened, Umm Qasr played an important role in the shipment of humanitarian supplies to Iraqi civilians.<ref>"Iraq aid confined to south", ''The Guardian'', 2 April 2003</ref>
+The port was declared safe and open on [[March 25]]th 2003, after Royal Marines took over control of the port and conducted raids into the old part of town. Coalition minesweepers, including [[HMS Bangor]] aided by divers and US Navy MH-53E helicopters and trained dolphins and seals located and cleared the approach to the port of mines allowing [[RFA Sir Galahad (1987)|RFA ''Sir Galahad'']] to dock after a couple of days.
+===Reconstruction===
+On 23 May 2003, control of the facility was transferred from the Royal Marines to [[Stevedoring Service of America]] (SSA). The company is responsible for both operations as well as restoration and renovation of the facility, which will be turned over to Iraqi civilian control when it is fully operational.<ref name="GloablSec"/>
 In January 2004 it was announced that work would start on a $10.3 million project to renovate the Umm Qasr Naval Base, funded through the Project Management Office (PMO) of the [[Coalition Provisional Authority]]. To enable the [[Iraqi Armed Forces]] the facilities they need for the defence of their country, the project includes building renovation; construction of electrical, water and sanitary sewage systems; security improvements; dock repair and [[dredging]]. The prime contractor was Weston Solutions, Inc. of [[West Chester, Pennsylvania]], who completed the work in mid-May 2004.<ref name="GloablSec">{{citeweb|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/umm-qasr.htm|title=Umm Qasr|publisher=globalsecurity.org|accessdate=2009-05-16}}</ref>