Iran’s 22 commercial ports handled 142.77 million tons of cargo during the first eight months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Nov. 21), registering an 8% rise compared with the similar period of last year, the latest data released by the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran show.
The volume of unloading stood at 53.05 million tons, including 18.5 million tons of oil and 34.54 million tons of non-oil goods, to register a 14% year-on-year rise, IRNA reported.
The loading volume reached 89.72 million tons, including 51.88 million tons of oil and 37.84 million tons of non-oil goods, registering a 7% rise compared with the corresponding period of last year.
Container throughput stood at 1.66 million TEUs, registering a 12% YOY rise.
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 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.
According to PMO, a total of 205.34 million tons of goods were loaded and unloaded in Iran’s 22 commercial ports during the last Iranian year (March 2021-22), registering a 14% rise compared with the year before.
Around 73.25 million tons of oil products and 57.69 million tons of non-oil goods were loaded at the ports during the period, indicating a 19% and 7% growth.
A total of 24 million tons of oil products and 49.51 million tons of non-oil commodities were unloaded, registering a 6% and 14% increase compared with that of the previous year, the news portal of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development reported.
Container throughput stood at 2.21 million TEUs, showing a 12% YOY rise.
Shahid Rajaee, located in the southern Hormozgan Province, is Iran’s biggest commercial port.
Shahid Rajaee Special Economic Zone 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 by Shahid Rajaee Port. 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 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.
Imam Khomeini Port in the southern Khuzestan Province is the main port of entry for essential goods like wheat, corn and rice.
A large portion of the country’s demand for livestock feed raw material and grains are imported through this southern port.
Overall, Imam Khomeini is Iran’s second busiest port after Shahid Rajaee in Hormozgan Province. It boasts 40 wharfs, 140 kilometers of railroads within its premises and the latest loading and unloading facilities.
A total of 23 million tons of goods were loaded and unloaded at Imam Khomeini Port in H1 (March 21-Sept. 22), according to a local official.
“More than 8 million tons of essential goods were unloaded at the port during the period,” Behrouz Aqaei was also quoted as saying by the news portal of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
The official noted that the handling of fertilizers rose by 200%, wheat by 98% and mineral products and chemicals by 21%.
52% Rise in Container Throughput of Caspian Ports
Iran’s six Caspian ports registered 10,261 TEUs in container throughput during the first seven months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Oct. 22), which indicate a 52% rise compared with the similar period of last year, Mehr News Agency reported.
The six ports under review are Amirabad, Anzali, Noshahr, Caspian, Astara and Fereydounkenar.
More than 3.39 million tons of commodities were loaded and unloaded in these ports during the period, registering a 7% decline compared with the corresponding period of last year, the report added.
Loading of goods registered a 7% fall while unloading witnessed a 52% rise year-on-year.
The throughput at Amirabad Port stood at 1.7 million tons, Anzali at 843,571 tons, Noshahr at 346,666 tons, Caspian at 293,000 tons, Astara at 125,799 tons and Fereydounkenar at 79,051 tons.
The operationalization of the International North-South Transportation Corridor could give impetus to the northern ports.
Iran’s state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines has moved to expand its network by facilitating the transport of Russian goods to India via INSTC, a land-sea corridor passing through a dozen countries to bypass Western sanctions against Russia, Splash247.com reported.
The corridor has entered the operational phase after completing a trial in June when containers of wood laminate sheets were transported from St. Petersburg to Nhava Sheva Port in India.
The establishment of INSTC, the multimodal network of ships, rail and roads for moving freight between Eastern Europe and South Asia, was first introduced in September 2000. Due to geopolitical obstacles, interest in the route waned over time, but it has come into the spotlight following the conflict in Ukraine.
According to Alphaliner, Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) will build four sea-river container/MPP ships of 435 TEU for GTLK, the largest Russian leasing firm.
The ships, due for delivery in 2024 and 2025, will travel between Russian inland ports along the Volga River and the Volga–Baltic Waterway in the north, and Iran’s Caspian Sea ports in the south, covering distances of up to 4,500 km.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, president Ebrahim Raisi, discussed the deepening of political, trade and economic cooperation in a phone call earlier this month.
Iran’s Presidential Office said Raisi welcomed “Russia’s desire to strengthen economic cooperation with the Islamic Republic”, especially the development of transport lines in the Eurasian region.
“This transit route will become an attractive route for the economy and trade in the world,” Raisi said.
Following Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's visit to Moscow in November, Russia and Iran have agreed to allow the passage of 12 million tons of Russian goods via Tehran.
The goods will be dispatched via the International North-South Transportation Corridor. The decision has come as a result of the efforts of both Russia and Delhi to boost the trade of goods and the India-Russia economic partnership, especially amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Asian News International reported on Tuesday.
