According to figures published in the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran's website, non-oil goods accounted for 8.43 million tons of the total throughput, showing a 0.24% fall year-on-year.
The remaining 3.36 million tons pertained to oil products, indicating a 17.4% decline YOY.
Container loading and unloading decreased by 36% to stand at more than 126,936 TEUs, according to Financial Tribune.
Close to 5.7 million tons of commodities were exported from the ports under review and over 6.22 million tons were imported, registering a respective decline of 8.48% and 0.76% YOY.
The country's overall exports hit 8.52 million tons worth $2.54 billion during the month to April 20 to register a 7.66% increase in weight, but an 18.25% decline in value year-on-year.
Imports amounted to 2.08 million tons worth $2.33 billion, up 7.75% in weight, but down 7.65% in value over last year’s corresponding period, the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration announced.
Iran's total non-oil foreign trade during the month stood at $4.87 billion. Compared with statistics provided by IRICA for the same month of last year, the country’s foreign trade indicates a 13.5% decrease.
In fact, Iran recorded a non-oil trade surplus of $213 million for the month.
A total of 456,274 tons of goods were transited through the Iranian ports during the same period, indicating a 25.1% decrease YOY.
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.
The 21 ports under study include Iran’s southern ports of Abadan, Imam Khomeini, Bushehr, Khorramshahr, Genaveh, Bandar 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 shoreline.
Busiest Ports
Close to 6.04 million tons of commodities were loaded and unloaded in Hormozgan Province’s Shahid Rajaee Port, registering an 8.98% 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 around 4.15 million tons and oil products for 1.88 million tons of the total, showing a 3.77% and 18.66% fall respectively year-on-year.
Located 23 kilometers west of the port city of Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan Province, Shahid Rajaee is Iran’s biggest container port.
Over half of Iran’s commercial trading is carried out at Shahid Rajaee that 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.
Imam Khomeini Port in the southern Khuzestan Province was the second busiest port during the month, handling more than 3.59 million tons of commodities. The figure shows a 9.15% fall YOY.
Non-oil goods accounted for 2.41 million tons and oil products for close to 1.18 million tons of the total throughput at Imam Khomeini Port, registering a 0.47% and 22.93% fall respectively year-on-year.
The third busiest was Qeshm Port, also located in southern Iran. More than 762,369 tons of goods were loaded and unloaded there, indicating a 2.2% rise compared with the similar period of last year.
Non-oil goods accounted for more than 749,409 tons and oil products for 12,960 tons of the total throughput in Qeshm Port, showing a 2.27% growth and a 1.81% decline respectively YOY.
A total of 914,122 passengers were transported to and from the aforementioned ports, registering a 74.49% plunge compared with last year’s similar period.