A total of 1.59 million tons of commodities were loaded and unloaded in Khuzestan Province’s Khorramshahr Port during the first seven months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Oct. 22), according to the director general of the southern city’s Ports and Maritime Organization.
“Imports over the period under review increased by 21% compared with the similar period of last year. Among our main imported products were 1,465 automobiles, showing a 20% year-on-year rise,” Nourollah Asadi was also quoted as saying by the news portal of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
The official did not provide any figures on exports from Khorramshahr Port during the period.
“A total of 462 vessels weighing under 1,000 tons docked at Khorramshahr during the period, registering a 7% increase compared with the corresponding period of last year,” he said.
Khorramshahr Port is situated in the northwest of Persian Gulf, southwest of Iran and southeast of Iraq (Shalamcheh land border) at the confluence of Arvand and Karoun rivers in Khuzestan Province.
Khorramshahr is an inland port city located approximately 10 kilometers north of Abadan.
Arvand Free Trade Zone located in the northwest of Persian Gulf has an area of 37,400 hectares encompassing the cities of Khorramshahr, Abadan and Minoushahr in Khuzestan Province. The zone is at the confluence of the Karoun and Arvand rivers, and is located only 3 meters above sea level and in proximity to Iraq.
It was in 2004 when the Arvand Free Trade Zone area began its transformation from a rural to industrial and commercial region. Cabinet members officially demarcated the area by 2005.
Nearly 3,800 hectares are designated for warehousing and shipping. The port boasts the deep waters of Bahmanshir, Karoun and Arvand rivers. Bordering Iraq and Kuwait, the free zone has excellent road, rail and air transit facilities, which boost its connectivity.
The free zone is of special significance, as it is located in the neighborhood of Iraq and Kuwait.
Bordering Arvand River and beyond that southern Iraq, the FTZ has a unique proposition on offer. It has direct access to the Iraqi market. Among all of Iran’s neighboring countries, Iraq stands as the largest market for Iranian products.
A total of 82.24 million tons of commodities were loaded and unloaded at Iran’s commercial ports during the current fiscal year’s first seven months (March 21-Oct. 22), indicating a 10.7% rise compared with the similar period of last year.
According to Ravanbakhsh Behzadian, an official with the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran, container shipping stood at 11.09 million tons and that of solid and liquid bulk cargo at 26.56 million and 2.56 million tons respectively.
He added that the figure for general cargo was 11.46 million tons and for petroleum products 30.57 million tons.
“Last year’s corresponding period saw container shipping throughput hover around 12.45 million tons, solid bulk at 23.19 million tons, liquid bulk at 2.04 million tons, general cargo at 10.53 million tons and petroleum products at 26.11 million tons,” he was quoted as saying by IRNA..
“Solid bulk cargo transport shows a rise of 14.5%, liquid bulk 25.7%, general cargo 8.8% and petroleum products 17.1% year-on-year.”
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.
