IRISL Handles Half of Domestic Container Throughput

The maritime fleet of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines handles half of the cargo container throughput in the country, said the director general of Container Transportation Company—an IRISL division.  Hamzeh Keshavarz added that 17 international shipping lines offer regular services at Shahid Rajaee Port, Iran’s biggest container port accounting for more than half of Iran’s total port throughput, Mehr News Agency reported.  According to Keshavarz, Container Transportation Company handled 450,000 TEU of cargo in Shahid Rajaee Port in the first five months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Aug. 22).  “The company’s revenues saw a 53.8% rise in the period under review,” he said. Earlier this month, IRISL CEO Mohammad Saeedi announced South Korean banks are to provide $500 million in finance to fund the state-run entity’s purchase of 10 new vessels.  Maritime transportation accounts for 85% of Iran’s foreign trade. About 49 million tons of non-oil goods were exported from Iranian ports last year, while container throughput stood at 58.2 million TEU.