Until most of these vessels are removed, Iraq will not be able to rehabilitate the Persian Gulf seaports that once handled the bulk of its commerce, UN experts said.

The survey analyzes the environmental risks posed by potentially dangerous cargo in many of the ships' holds, including munitions, pesticides and refined fuels. Pollutants are now leaking from a number of the wrecked ships, the UNDP team reported.

Paul Clifford, a UNDP survey adviser, said the cost of removing the larger wrecks ranges from US$1 million to US$8 million per vessel. Removing the ships currently impeding access to the ports and restoring channels to their original depth would cost about US$34 million, the UNDP team has estimated.

However, if port access for deep-draft vessels is restored, the savings to Iraq in one year alone would far exceed that investment, and the United Nations Joint Logistic Centre (UNJLC) estimates that Iraq now spends an additional US$190 million yearly importing goods overland that could be imported much more cheaply and efficiently by sea.