Bushehr Takes Bigger Non-Oil Export Share

EghtesadOnline: About 16.56 million tons of non-oil commodities worth $9.07 billion were exported from the southern Bushehr Province during the 10 months to Jan. 20, registering a 46% growth in value, while remaining unchanged in tonnage compared with last year’s corresponding period.

News ID: ۷۴۶۶۲۵

04 February 2019

The Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration's data for the period shows Iran's overall exports, excluding crude oil, mazut, kerosene and suitcase trade, hit 94.87 million tons worth $36.35 billion, indicating a 2.21% increase in value year-on-year.

In fact, export from Bushehr constitutes around 25% of Iran's total non-oil exports.

Speaking to IRNA, Director General of Bushehr Customs Office Mansour Bazyar said petrochemical products, steel jacket (offshore platform), mineral fertilizers, cement, clinker, sulfur, drilling devices, shrimp, gypsum, plaster and tomatoes were the main goods exported from the southern Iranian province, Financial Tribune reported.

“Moreover, 6.16 million tons of gas condensates worth $3.56 billion were exported from the province during the period,” he added.

China, the UAE, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Thailand and Taiwan were the main export destinations.

4% Share From Imports

A total of 483,000 tons of goods worth $1.46 billion were imported into Bushehr during the 10 months.

IRICA data show a total of 26 million tons of non-oil goods worth $35.67 billion were imported into Iran during the period, down by 17.38% in weight and 18.87% in value year-on-year. However, Bushehr only had a 4% share of the total sum.

According to Bazyar, the imported commodities mainly included power plant equipment, bananas, hydrogenated oil, industrial air handlers, auto parts, motorcycle parts, auto tires, tea, factory equipment and fittings.

China, Russia, the Philippines, the UAE, New Zealand, India, Ecuador, South Korea, Italy and Belgium were the top exporter of goods to the southern Iranian province.

Iran’s overall non-oil foreign trade during the first ten months of the current fiscal year (March 21-Jan. 20) stood at $72.02 billion, indicating an 8.14% decrease year-on-year. In fact, the country recorded a trade surplus of $678 million in the period.

Notably, China reclaimed its place as Iran’s top non-oil export market from Iraq after three months and cemented its position as Iran’s main source of imports.

Iran’s exports to China reached $7.52 billion to account for 20.7% of the total value of Iran’s exports. Exports to China increased by 5.24% compared with the same period of last year.

By “non-oil”, IRICA refers to all commodities, except crude oil. Therefore, oil-driven products and byproducts, as well as petrochemical products, are still categorized as non-oil. IRICA categorizes non-oil exports into three groups of petrochemicals, gas condensates and “other items”.

Negin Island to Bolster Commercial Activities

Negin Island is a small sedimentary piece of land near Bushehr city. Authorities are planning to turn the island into a maritime hub through port construction.

Linking Negin Island to Bushehr Port is expected to significantly increase commercial activities in the region.

Director General of Ports and Maritime Directorate of Bushehr Province Siavash Arjomandzadeh announced the completion of Phase 1 of the construction project of Negin Island’s container terminal in August 2017.

With a length of 300 meters and a width of 30 meters, the container terminal can offer services to 20,000-ton container ships," he said.

"The project was carried out in cooperation with the private sector with an investment of 900 billion rials ($6.38 million)."

The dredging of Negin Island's container berth started in April. Ports and Maritime Organization of Bushehr Province said back then that once the project is complete, the docking of 50,000-ton vessels will be facilitated at the port.

On an official visit to the southern province of Bushehr, President Hassan Rouhani in January 2015 launched the construction of Negin Island seaport, as part of the Bushehr Port Development Project.

"The container loading and unloading capacity for Bushehr Port will increase to 600,000 TEUs upon the implementation of Negin Island's port project, which is twice its current capacity, making it the country’s second biggest container port after Shahid Rajaee Port in Hormozgan Province," Mohammad Rastad, the head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization, said.

According to Bushehr Industries, Mining and Trade Organization, 37.8 million tons of commodities worth $15.08 billion were exported from Bushehr Province during the last fiscal year (March 2017-18).