Agencies |Washington:
US President Donald Trump has welcomed reports that Syria is positioning itself as a potential alternative route to the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, describing the development as “great”.
Trump shared a report on social media highlighting Syria’s proposal, writing, “This is GREAT! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP,” before sharing another report stating that Syria was “pitching itself as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.”
Syria’s proposal comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains central to disruptions affecting regional energy supplies. The strategic waterway is a critical transit route for global oil shipments, increasing interest in alternative corridors for moving crude from the Gulf to international markets.
Under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria is seeking to leverage its geographic position and Mediterranean coastline to develop an overland energy and transport corridor connecting the Gulf region with Europe.
According to a report by The Washington Post, oil tankers are already travelling from southern Iraq towards Syria’s Mediterranean port of Baniyas, highlighting the potential for the route to serve as an alternative channel for energy exports.
The plan extends beyond road transportation. The Trump administration has backed a proposed pipeline linking Basra in southern Iraq with Baniyas on Syria’s Mediterranean coast.
The proposed pipeline could eventually carry up to 2 million barrels of crude oil per day. The project is estimated to cost around $5.7 billion and would span roughly 1,000 miles.
However, the pipeline would not provide an immediate alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. Construction is expected to take at least two and a half years, according to the report.
Trump’s special envoy, Tom Barrack, has previously suggested that such a pipeline could eventually make the Strait of Hormuz “an afterthought”.
Syria’s Mediterranean coastline provides a potential route to European markets that could reduce reliance on maritime shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
The country is also exploring broader transport connectivity, including proposed railway and road links that could eventually strengthen trade and energy connections between the Gulf and Europe.
However, significant challenges remain. The proposed pipeline would have to cross areas where militant groups and Iran-backed forces remain active, while Syria continues to rebuild infrastructure following years of conflict.
Trump’s reaction comes as governments and energy companies explore alternative supply routes amid continuing uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz and seek to reduce dependence on a single strategic maritime chokepoint.
