A total of 129.03 million tons of goods were loaded and unloaded in Iran’s southern and northern ports during the current fiscal year’s first eight months (March 21-Oct. 22) to register an 11% rise compared with the similar period of last year, latest data released by the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran show.
Non-oil goods accounted for 68.56 million tons and oil products for 60.47 million tons of the total throughput, registering a 13% and 9% increase year-on-year.
The throughput involved 81.5 million tons of loading and 47.53 million tons of unloading, each indicating an 11% growth.
Loading of non-oil and oil commodities totaled 36.83 million tons (up 9% YOY) and 44.66 million tons (up 11% YOY) respectively.
Unloading of non-oil and oil products stood at 31.72 million tons (up 11% YOY) and 15.8 million tons (up 18% YOY) respectively.
Container loading and unloading showed a 15% rise compared with the corresponding period of last year to exceed 1.5 million TEUs.
The Planning and Resource Management Department of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development has also released figures on Iran’s port throughput during the first three months since President Ebrahim Raeisi’s government took office.
Between August-October, loading and unloading in Iranian ports hit 42 million tons, with non-oil and oil commodities accounting for 28 million tons and 14 million tons of the total sum respectively.
Container loading and unloading hit 507,000 TEUs, and transshipments reached 990,000 tons.
During the three months under review, 2,641 vessels weighing more than 1,000 tons docked at Iran’s ports.
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 is 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 annually and is 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.
Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Organization finalized investment contracts with five local and one foreign company on Dec. 24 last year. The agreements worth 250 trillion rials ($860 million) are aimed at developing 2,400 hectares of hinterlands newly added to Shahid Rajaee Port and upgrading southern ports to third-generation ports.
The agreements include investment by Bama Company for establishing zinc, lead and manganese factories, Entekhab Industrial Group for building home appliance plants, Kayhan Port and Maritime Services Company for creating a variety of industries and Nahavand Arman Company for setting up a refinery.
A Chinese company will also invest in a container manufacturing plant.
The Ports and Maritime Organization also finalized a memorandum of understanding with Bank Melli Iran Brokerage Company that will provide financial guarantees for these projects, the ministry’s news portal, News.mrud.ir reported.
Former minister of roads and urban development, Mohammad Eslami, said investment projects in Shahid Rajaee Port will create 20,000 jobs and their duration must not exceed three years.
“Increasing the capacity of Iranian ports to 280 million tons was the main approach pursued by the ministry and PMO over the past 40 years. As per development plans, their capacity must reach 500 million tons in five years,” he added.
Foreign Trade at Over $63b
Iran traded a total of 110.3 million tons of goods (excluding crude oil exports) worth $63.1 billion during the eight months under review, registering a 43.5% and 40% year-on-year growth in weight and value respectively, according to Mehdi Mirasharfi, the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.
Exports stood at 83.7 million tons worth $31.1 billion, 10.5% and 42% more in terms of weight and value respectively YOY, IRNA reported.
Petrochemical exports with 39.8 million tons worth $13.3 billion had the biggest share in exports, accounting for 47% of total weight and 43% of total export value.
China with 19.3 million tons worth $9.1 billion, Iraq with 21.6 million tons worth $6.1 billion, Turkey with 11.3 million tons worth $3.8 billion, the UAE with 7.3 million tons worth $2.9 billion and Afghanistan with 3 million tons worth $1.27 billion were top five export destinations.
Imports stood at 26.5 million tons worth $32 billion, registering a 38% and 21% increase in weight and value respectively.
Top five exporters to Iran were the UAE with 8 million tons worth $10.1 billion, China with 2.2 million tons worth $7.2 billion, Turkey with 2.7 million tons worth $3.2 billion, Germany with 549,000 tons worth $1.2 billion and Switzerland with 1.3 million tons worth $1.1 billion, respectively.
Misashrafi noted that 8.1 million tons of goods were transported through Iran in transit during the period under review, registering an 80% year-on-year rise.
“The transit volume during the eight months of the current year is more than that of the whole fiscal 2020-21 or fiscal 2019-20,” he added.
Essential goods with 20.3 million tons worth $12.4 billion had the highest share in imports, accounting for 75% of total weight and 38% of total import value.
Also known as necessity or basic goods, essential goods are products consumers will buy, regardless of changes in income levels.
The essential goods imported to Iran mainly include wheat, barley, oilseeds, vegetable oils, soymeal, corn and pharmaceuticals.
The IRICA chief noted that 17.8 million tons worth $9.9 billion of imports during the period were purchased at subsidized rates.
