The Iranian private sector has invested 3 trillion rials (more than $85 million at market exchange rate) for the construction of four berths in Anzali Port and Free Trade Zone in the northern Gilan Province, Akbar Torkan, secretary of High Council of Free Trade and Special Economic Zones, said. After the completion of the construction projects, the port will be the largest in the Caspian Sea with 22 berths and cargo handling capacity of 15 million tons per year, Chairman of Anzali FTZ Reza Masrouri was quoted as saying by IRNA. Currently 10 docks in Anzali have a cargo handling capacity of about 7 million tons per year, which makes it the largest harbor on the southern coasts of the Caspian Sea. It is also the third largest seaport in Iran after Imam Khomeini and Shahid Rajaie ports situated along the Persian Gulf coastline. Although Anzali’s throughput had recorded a 12% decline in the last Iranian year (March 2015-16) compared to the year before, the port has seen a rise in shipments following the lifting of nuclear sanctions. During the last month of the past Iranian year (February 20-March 19) alone, 116 freighters made calls at Anzali and 328,354 tons of commodities were unloaded at the port.
