“This would register a 7.3% rise compared with last year’s figure that stood at 246 million tons,” Mohammad Rastad, the head of the organization, was quoted as saying by IRNA.
“We also plan to increase the container loading and unloading capacities of these ports to 8 million TEUs per annum this year, marking a 4% rise compared with last year.”
The official noted that PMO is willing to make the utmost use of private sector investments and resources in developing port infrastructures this year.
“Last year, 11 contracts worth 55.29 trillion rials [$323 million] were signed with the private sector for the construction of different terminals, oil reservoirs, warehouses and production units in these ports.”
According to the official, the total value of private sector investments in Iranian ports by March 19 stood at 158,000 billion rials ($940 million).
Rastad also said that the coronavirus outbreak in mid-February pushed down loading and unloading operations by 35%.
“Since March 20, Iranian ports have handled 172,000 TEU containers of general cargo, which indicates a 35.5% decline compared with the similar period of last year,” he added.
Fiscal 2019-20 Throughput
More than 139.65 million tons of commodities were loaded and unloaded at Iran’s 21 commercial ports during the last Iranian year (March 2019-20) to register a meager rise of 0.17% compared with the corresponding period of last year.
Non-oil goods accounted for more than 95.48 million tons of the total throughput, showing a 0.08% year-on-year growth.
The remaining 44.16 million tons pertained to oil products, indicating a 0.7% increase YOY.
Container loading and unloading declined by 35.95% to stand at 1.38 million TEUs.
Around 69.65 million tons of commodities were exported from the ports under review and more than 31.15 million tons were imported during the period, showing a 10.28% and 13.92% growth respectively compared with the similar period of last year.
A total of 3.85 million tons of goods were transited through these ports during the same period to register a 41.71% YOY decline.
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 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 shoreline of Caspian Sea.
Shahid Rajaee was the busiest port during the period under review.
More than 68.92 million tons of commodities were loaded and unloaded in this port, registering a 1.74% growth compared with the similar period of last year.
Non-oil goods accounted for 43.32 million tons and oil products for over 25.59 million tons of the total, showing a 0.47% decline and 5.33% growth 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. 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.
Imam Khomeini Port in the southern Khuzestan Province was the second busiest port during last year, as it handled more than 44.15 million tons of commodities. The figure shows a 13.26% increase YOY.
Non-oil goods accounted for more than 29.45 million tons and oil products for over 14.7 million tons of the total throughput in Imam Khomeini Port, registering an 18.88% and 3.46% growth respectively year-on-year.
The third busiest was Qeshm Port also in southern Iran. More than 7.04 million tons of goods were loaded and unloaded there, indicating a 15.8% increase compared with the similar period of last year.
Non-oil goods accounted for 6.98 million tons and oil products for around 133,342 tons of the total throughput in Qeshm Port, showing a 16.86% and 18.9% growth respectively YOY.
A total of 134.06 million passengers were transported to and from the aforementioned ports, registering a 21.48% decrease compared with last year’s similar period.