Life in the port city of Umm Qasr, Iraq's maritime gateway - in pictures

The port near Basra provides thousands of jobs and is part of a modern maritime Silk Road under China's flagship Belt And Road Initiative

The government-owned port of Umm Qasr sits on the Arabian Gulf coast of Iraq near Basra and, with about two dozen berths to serve shipments of cargo, liquid and dry bulk plus oil from the south, it is the country's biggest maritime gateway. Here, a worker's face and body are covered with dust as he fills bags with corn. AFP

A dockyard grab overshadows a worker as a shipment of corn arrives at Umm Qasr near Basra. AFP

A worker's face is covered in dust as he unloads imported corn at the southern Iraqi port of Umm Qasr near Basra. AFP

Bags of imported corn are stacked on the back of a lorry at the southern Iraqi port of Umm Qasr near Basra. AFP

A worker's face is covered in dust as he unloads imported corn at the southern Iraqi port of Umm Qasr near Basra. AFP

A worker fills bags with corn at the southern Iraqi port of Umm Qasr near Basra. AFP

A dockyard worker at the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr. AFP

Dust and a mask complete the image of a rugged dockyard labourer at the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr near Basra. AFP

Umm Qasr port near Basra provides thousands of jobs and is part of a modern maritime Silk Road under China's flagship Belt And Road Initiative. AFP

Bags of corn are stacked on the back of a lorry for transport out of the southern Iraqi port of Umm Qasr near Basra. AFP

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