Iran’s 22 commercial ports handled a total of 152.91 million tons of goods (loading and unloading) during the last Iranian year that ended on March 20, registering a 17% growth in throughput compared with the year before.
The data were released in the new report of the Resource Planning and Management Department of the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran.
Container throughput stood at 2.1 million TEUs during the period, registering a 13.5% year-on-year increase, the news portal of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development reported.
Around 46.89 million tons of dry bulk cargo, 3.76 million tons of liquid bulk cargo and 21.83 million tons of general cargo were handled during the period, registering a 12.8%, 12.6% and 13.1% rise compared with the previous year respectively.
The 22 ports under review include Iran’s southern ports of Abadan, Imam Khomeini, Bushehr, Khorramshahr, Genaveh, Bandar Lengeh, Chavibdeh, Arvandkenar, Charak and Dayyer located on the shores of the Persian Gulf, Shahid Rajaee, Shahid Bahonar, Shahid Haqqani, Qeshm and Tiab at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, Jask and Chabahar on the coasts of the Sea of Oman and the northern ports of Fereydounkenar, Noshahr, Astara, Amirabad and Anzali on the Caspian Sea shoreline.
Shahid Rajaee Special Economic Zone, located in the southern Hormozgan Province, accounts for the highest share of all goods exported from and imported to Iran.
The economic zone, which has a loading/unloading capacity of 100 million tons per year, accounts for over half of Iran's trade and about two-thirds of total freight transit through the country.
The lion’s share of Iran's containers was handled at Shahid Rajaee Port Complex. With 18 gantry cranes and 40 berths, it is the most advanced container port of Iran.
Launched in 1985, the port has expanded every year and is currently connected to 80 ports worldwide.
The significance of this port lies in its large capacity, including its location in the Persian Gulf, container terminal, fuel bunkering, access to 24 kilometers of railroads and round-the-clock truck transportation.
In terms of transit, Shahid Rajaee Special Economic Zone tops the list of Iranian customs terminals.
A total of 20.14 million tons of essential goods were imported through seaports last year
According to PMO, a total of 20.14 million tons of essential goods were imported through seaports last year.
Also known as necessity or basic goods, essential goods are products consumers will buy, regardless of changes in income levels.
Imam Khomeini in the southern Khuzestan Province with 12.59 million tons topped the list of ports of entry for essential goods. These goods included 7.71 million tons of corn, 2.95 million tons of wheat, 1.32 million tons of barley and 607,021 tons of sugar.
The lion’s share of the country’s demand for livestock feed raw material and grains are imported through this southern port. Imam Khomeini is Iran’s second busiest port after Shahid Rajaee in Hormozgan Province.
The port boasts 40 wharfs, 140 kilometers of railroads within its premises and equipped with the latest loading and unloading facilities.
Shahid Rajaee Port came next with 2.61 million tons of essential goods imports, including 1.58 million tons of wheat, 400,919 tons of sugar, 340,459 tons of corn, 200,550 tons of barley and 93,942 tons of rice.
Third was Sistan-Baluchestan Province’s Chabahar Port with 2.04 million tons of imports, including 1.13 million tons of wheat, 396,230 tons of barley, 334,102 tons of corn, 148,806 tons of rice and 27,100 tons of sugar.
The northern Mazandaran Province’s Amirabad Port handled 1.45 million tons of basic imports, including 576,855 tons of barley, 553,999 tons of corn and 324,211 tons of wheat.
Anzali Port in the northern Gilan Province saw the unloading of 723,704 tons of basic goods, including 374,716 tons of wheat, 186,050 tons of corn and 171,938 tons of barley.
Mazandaran Province’s Noshahr Port handled imports of 633,657 tons of basic goods, including 372,287 tons of corn, 225,794 tons of barley and 35,576 tons of wheat.
A total of 62,283 tons of essential goods were unloaded at Bushehr Port in the southern Bushehr Province, including 58,747 tons of rice and 3,536 tons of corn.
Iran’s foreign trade, excluding crude oil exports stood at 162 million tons worth $100 billion in the fiscal 2021-22, registering a 38% rise in value compared with the year before, according to the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.
“Exports stood at 122 million tons worth $48 billion, registering a 41% increase in value compared with the previous year. Iran’s top five export destinations were China, Iraq, Turkey, the UAE and Afghanistan,” Alireza Moqaddesi was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
Imports hit 40 million tons worth $52 billion during the same period, registering a 21% and 36% growth in weight and value respectively.
The UAE, China, Turkey, Germany and Russia were the main exporters.
“The imports mainly included essential goods, raw materials and production line machinery,” he said.
