Loading and unloading operations at Iran’s 22 major commercial ports in the south and north of the country saw 19% growth during the current Iranian year’s 11 months (March 21, 2021-Feb. 19) compared with the similar period of last year as they handled a total of 140.18 million tons of goods.
Unloading of oil products stood at 19.37 million tons and that of non-oil goods hit 43.09 million tons, registering a 25% and 20% year-on-year rise respectively, the news portal of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development reported.
A total of 62.46 million tons of goods were unloaded during the period, indicating a 21% YOY increase.
A total of 32.59 million tons of oil products and 45.12 million tons of non-oil goods were loaded at the ports under review, registering a 30% and 10% respective rise compared with the corresponding period of last year.
Overall, 77.72 million tons of goods were loaded during the period, registering an 18% YOY rise.
Container throughput during the period stood at 1.88 million TEUs, indicating a YOY rise of 13%.
The 22 ports under study 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 Haqani, 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 are handled in Shahid Rajaee Port Complex.
With 18 gantry cranes and 40 berths, Rajaee is the most advanced container port of Iran.
Launched in 1985, the port has expanded every year 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, again Shahid Rajaee Special Economic Zone tops the list of Iranian customs terminals.
30% Rise in Loading of Oil Products
The 30% rise in loading of oil products is notable.
Iranian oil exports have risen to more than 1 million barrels per day for the first time in almost three years, based on estimates from companies that track the flows, reflecting increased shipments to China, Reuters reported recently.
Tehran's oil exports have been limited since the US exited the 2015 nuclear accord and reimposed sanctions in 2018.
Iran has kept some exports flowing despite sanctions, as intermediaries find ways to disguise the origin of imports. Tanker tracking companies say China is the destination of most of those shipments.
US President Joe Biden's administration has discussed imports with China but has not imposed sanctions on Chinese individuals and companies. Beijing has urged the United States to lift sanctions on Iran, which China opposes.
Indirect talks between Iran and the United States on reviving the nuclear deal are ongoing. If the talks are successful, Iran could restart open oil sales.
Iran managed to increase exports in 2021 despite sanctions, according to estimates from oil industry consultants and analysts. Those exports remain well below the 2.5 million bpd shipped before the reimposition of sanctions.
Consulting firm Petro-Logistics, which tracks oil flows, said Iran's crude exports surged in December to more than 1 million bpd, the highest level in almost three years, although they fell back to about 700,000 bpd in January.
"We wouldn't expect to see 1 million bpd consistently until there is a change in the political landscape," said Petro-Logistics Chief Executive Daniel Gerber.
A senior trade source said January volumes dropped by about 300,000 bpd from December and added that the volumes fluctuate because there is a shortage of ships.
The increase in Iranian exports comes as tight global supply has helped push oil prices to a seven-year high of $94 a barrel. A lifting of US sanctions would in theory allow Iran to start bringing crude exports back toward 2.5 million bpd, a rate last seen in 2018.
China's Foreign Ministry, in response to a question on China's Iranian oil imports, said: The "international community, including China, has been conducting normal cooperation with Iran under the global legal framework, which are both reasonable and legitimate. They deserve respect and safeguard."
SVB International, another consulting firm that tracks Iranian oil supply, also noted an increase in Iranian crude exports to more than 1 million bpd, although it registered the increase in January rather than December.
Crude exports reached 1.085 million bpd in January, based on SVB estimates, up from 826,000 bpd in December. SVB has not seen a big difference from January exports to date in February.
"I don't think it can go much higher without a waiver," said Sara Vakhshouri, president of SVB.
The waivers had granted exemptions for certain buyers of Iranian oil and these were stopped in 2019.
There is no definitive figure for Iranian exports and estimates often fall into a wide range. Iran generally does not release oil export figures.
Last year, China brought in an average of 600,000 bpd of Iranian oil, mostly sold as crudes from other sources such as Oman, the UAE and Malaysia, oil and gas data analysts Vortexa Analytics said. That compared with the pre-Trump peak recorded by Chinese customs in 2017 at some 623,000 bpd.
China in January reported the first official imports of Iranian crude in a year.
Another source that tracks Iranian flows put the December volume even higher at 1.2 million bpd, although he agreed with Petro-Logistics on the downward move in January shipments.
"Almost all of that volume went to China," said the source, who is not authorized to speak to the media.
Foreign Trade at $90b
Iran's foreign trade, excluding crude oil exports, stood at 149.4 million tons worth $90 billion during the same 11-month period, registering a 12% and 38% growth in tonnage and value compared with the corresponding period of last year.
According to Foroud Asgari, the deputy head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, exports stood at 112.65 million tons worth $43.52 billion, registering a 10% and 40% year-on-year growth in weight and value respectively, Fars News Agency reported.
Imports stood at 36.77 million tons worth $46.57 billion, registering a 19% and 36% YOY increase in volume and value respectively.
The customs official noted that the imports mainly included essential goods, raw materials, production machinery, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.
Also known as necessity or basic goods, essential goods are products consumers will buy, regardless of changes in income levels, such as rice, vegetable oil, sugar, wheat and flour.
The import of essential goods is entitled to subsidized currency, supplied by oil export revenues.
