21 Iranian Ports Lose Steam

EghtesadOnline: Iran’s 21 major ports loaded and unloaded 105.9 million tons of commodities during the first 10 months of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2018-Jan. 20) to register a 16.95% decline compared with the corresponding period of last year.

News ID: ۷۴۶۷۳۵

19 February 2019

According to figures published on the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran's website, non-oil goods accounted for close to 74.95 million tons of the total throughput, showing an 18.56% fall year-on-year.

The remaining 30.96 million tons pertained to oil products, indicating a 12.8% decline YOY.

Container loading and unloading decreased by 38.76% to stand at 1.58 million TEUs, according to Financial Tribune.

Close to 51.92 million tons of commodities were exported from the ports and nearly 22.55 million tons were imported during the 10 months.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration's data show the country's overall exports, excluding crude oil, mazut, kerosene and suitcase trade, hit 94.87 million tons worth $36.35 billion during the 10 months to Jan. 20, indicating a 2.21% increase in value year-on-year.

Imports amounted to 26 million tons worth $35.67 billion, down more than 17.38% in weight and 18.87% in value over last year’s similar period.

Iran’s non-oil foreign trade during the nine months of the current fiscal year (March 21-Dec. 21) stood at $72.02 billion, indicating an 8.14% decrease year-on-year.

The country recorded a trade surplus of $678 million in the 10-month period, IRICA said.

A total of 5.8 million tons of goods were transited through the Iranian port during the same period.

According to Hadi Haqshenas, the deputy head of Ports and Maritime Organization, more than 200 vessels load and unload at Iranian ports daily, Mehr News Agency reported.

Chairman of Majlis Development Commission Mohammad Reza Rezaei said Iran’s 11 major commercial ports have up to 80% untapped capacity, as only 20% of their capacity are put to use as we speak, IRNA reported.

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

Busiest Ports

Close to 56 million tons of commodities were loaded and unloaded in Hormozgan Province’s Shahid Rajaee Port, registering a 20.25% decrease compared with the similar period of last year.

In fact, Shahid Rajaee was the country’s busiest port during the period. Non-oil goods accounted for 36.02 million tons and oil products for 19.92 million tons of the total, showing a 27.24% and 3.55% fall respectively year-on-year.

Located 23 kilometers west of the port city of Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan Province, Shahid Rajaee Port is Iran’s biggest container port.

Over half of Iran’s commercial trading is carried out at Shahid Rajaee. The port complex also accounts for over 85% of all container throughput in the country.

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, ILNA reported.

The strategic Iranian port's throughput stood at 87.03 million tons in the last fiscal year (March 2017-18), to register an 8% increase compared with the year before.

Non-oil exports from the port exceeded 39.39 million tons to register an 8% rise while imports reached 9.58 million tons–almost unchanged year-on-year.

Oil exports and imports from and into the port stood close to 8.12 million and 2.7 million tons respectively last year.

Imam Khomeini Port in the southern Khuzestan Province was the second busiest port during the 10 months under review, handling 33.65 million tons of commodities. The figure shows a 5.35% fall YOY.

Non-oil goods accounted for 22.04 million tons and oil products for nearly 11.61 million tons of the total throughput at Imam Khomeini Port, registering a 2.49% rise and a 17.36% fall respectively year-on-year.

The third busiest was Qeshm Port also in southern Iran. More than 4.54 million tons of goods were loaded and unloaded there, indicating a 13.73% fall compared with the similar period of last year.

Non-oil goods accounted for close to 4.45 million tons and oil products for 97,456 tons of the total throughput in Qeshm Port, showing a 14% decline and a 0.46% increase respectively YOY.

More than 12.76 million passengers were transported to and from the aforementioned ports, registering a 3% decrease compared with last year’s similar period.