Development Project to Enhance Shahid Rajaee Port's Capacity

Shahid Rajaee Port is Iran's biggest container port.

“The project includes the construction of 1,400 meters of wharfs and 113 hectares of container area, and carries out 4 million tons of dredging, among many other infrastructural undertakings,” Alireza Mohammadi Karajiran was also quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.

Upon its completion, said the official, the project will help increase the port’s nominal container throughput capacity from the current 6.3 million TEUs to 8.4 million TEUs (giving it a 20% boost) and vessels with capacities of 18,400 TEUs weighing 185,000 DWT will be able to berth at the wharfs. 

Mohammadi noted that Shahid Rajaee Port has better chances of elevating its ranking in the region.

According to Mohammad Reza Rezaei-Kouchi, the head of Majlis Development Commission, Shahid Rajaee Port has a 6% share in the region’s total container throughput per annum. 

Mohammadi says Shahid Rajaee currently accounts for 90% of Iran's total container throughput using 12 wharfs.

Over half of Iran’s commercial trading is carried out at Shahid Rajaee that is located 23 kilometers west of the port city of Bandar Abbas, the central city of Hormozgan Province.

14% Increase in Docking of Container Vessels 

A total of 528 container vessels berthed at Shahid Rajaee Port during the first four months of the current Iranian year (March 20-July 21), which shows a 14% rise compared with the similar period of last year.

According to the newly-appointed director general of Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Organization, container loading and unloading in the port stood at 482,000 TEUs over the four-month period, Fars News Agency reported.

The Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran's latest available data show a total of 13.24 million tons of commodities were loaded and unloaded in Shahid Rajaee Port during the first quarter of the current Iranian year (March 20-June 20), registering a 27.11% fall compared with the similar period of last year.

This made Shahid Rajaee, the country’s busiest port during the period, as in previous reports. Non-oil goods accounted for around 6.55 million tons and oil products for more than 6.68 million tons of the total, showing a 45.19% decline and a 7.76% rise respectively year-on-year.

A total of 1 million tons of essential goods were unloaded in Shahid Rajaee Port from the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 19) up until July 5 to register a 20% increase compared with the similar period of last year.

According to former director general of Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Organization, Allahmorad Afifipour, the unloaded goods included vegetable oil, wheat, sugar, fertilizers and paper pulp, the news portal of the Roads and Urban Development Ministry reported.

He noted that a total of 20 vessels transported essential goods to Shahid Rajaee Port over the period.

Also known as necessity goods, essential goods are products consumers will buy, regardless of changes in income levels.

Iran’s 21 major commercial ports loaded and unloaded a total of 28.65 million tons of commodities in Q1 to register a 27.86% decline compared with the similar period of last year.

The decline comes amid heavily-imposed economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic by the United States, the effects of which have been further complicated by the worldwide outbreak of the novel coronavirus and the subsequent downfall in global trade.

According to figures published in the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran's website, non-oil goods accounted for close to 18.99 million tons of the total throughput (66%), showing a 33.72% fall year-on-year. 

The remaining 9.66 million tons pertained to oil products, indicating a 12.71% decline YOY.

Container loading and unloading decreased by 30% to stand at 342,915 TEUs.

More than 11.78 million tons of commodities were exported from the ports under review and over 8.36 million tons were imported, registering a 35.59% and 0.47% decline respectively YOY. 

A total of 605,828 tons of goods were transited through the Iranian ports during the same period, indicating a 48.68% decrease YOY.

The 21 ports under study include Iran’s southern ports of Shahid Rajaee, Abadan, Imam Khomeini, Bushehr, Khorramshahr, Genaveh, Bandar Lengeh, Chavibdeh, Arvandkenar, Charak and Dayyer located on the shores of the Persian Gulf, Shahid Bahonar, 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.