Iraq has resumed crude oil exports from northern Kirkuk oil field to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan in Turkey after a suspension that lasted a day, a Middle East shipping agent said Tuesday.

"The flow was resumed at 2130 (local time) on Monday," the agent told Dow Jones Newswires.

Iraq is pumping some 20,000 barrels an hour, or 480,000 barrels a day, the agent said.

Iraq had suspended the flow on Sunday. It isn't known yet why the flow was halted.

Iraqi oil officials weren't available to comment.

There are five vessels waiting for loading, the agent said.

Iraq resumed exports last week from Kirkuk after a suspension of 25 days due to a leak in the pipeline in Iraq .

Iraq normally exports 350,000 to 400,000 barrels a day but sabotage to the pipeline over the past few months, as well as technical problems, has reduced the flow. Last month Iraq exported 193,000 barrels a day via the pipeline, which was less than the average after its pipeline was damaged by unknown attackers.

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