On an official trip to the southern province of Bushehr, President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday launched a project for the construction of a long-awaited seaport in Negin Island, as part of the Bushehr port development project. The project is expected to double the loading and unloading capacity of the port, announced Ali Jahandideh, an official at the Shipping and Maritime Organization.
Negin Island is a small sedimentary natural island near Blushehr city in southern Iran. Authorities are planning to turn the island into a maritime hub through port construction. Linking Negin Island to the Bushehr port is expected to significantly increase the commercial activities in the region.
“The loading and unloading capacity of Bushehr port, which is currently 7 million tons per annum, is expected to reach 15 million tons following the construction of three important projects in Negin Island,” Jahandideh was quoted by IRNA as saying.
The three proposed infrastructure projects, as part of the Bushehr port development program, include a container terminal to be built on a 2.8 trillion rials ($103 million at official exchange rates) budget, a bulk liquid terminal with a 5 trillion rials ($185 million) budget, and a multi-purpose terminal with a 2 trillion rials ($74 million) budget. The three projects are expected to be completed within 30 months, the official added.
Pointing to the private investments on the country’s northern and southern ports, he said: “Out of the total 40 trillion rials ($1.5 billion) invested by the private sector on port development projects in the past ten months, 5.2 trillion rials ($192 million) was towards the Bushehr port development project.”
The new container terminal, which is expected to be completed within 30 months, will have six gantry cranes and will increase the port’s loading and unloading capacity to 600,000 containers per year.
The proposed bulk liquid terminal is a 220-meter-long one with capacity for one million tons per year. It has four loading arms and is expected to be completed within 24 months. Also the multi-purpose terminal is a 300 meter long terminal with one million tons capacity.
Rouhani travelled to the southern province on Tuesday which marked his second official visit to the region and the 12th provincial visit since he assumed office in August, 2013.
During his two-day visit, the president also unveiled a plan for turning Bushehr into a free trade zone and announced the allocation of government budget for constructing a new highway and completing the construction of Bushehr wastewater treatment plant.
Bushehr is the capital of Bushehr Province in southwestern Iran. Located in a vast plain along the Persian Gulf, the city has been one of Iran’s main trade centers throughout history.
