Allah-Morad Afifipour added that during this period, 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.
“Non-oil goods transit from Shahid Rajaee hit 5.29 million tons last year, showing a 22% growth compared to the year before while cabotage of non-oil goods amounted to 51,000 tons,” the news portal of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development quoted the official as saying.
Cabotage is defined as the transport of goods or passengers between two places in the same country by a transport operator from another country, according to Financial Tribune.
“Close to 8.12 million tons of oil products were exported, 2.7 million tons were imported and 43,135 tons transited through Shahid Rajaee. The cabotage of such products stood at over 16.14 million tons last year,” he said.
Noting that container handling operations of Shahid Rajaee Port grew by 14% last year to stand at 2.6 million TEU, Afifipour said a total of 3,986 vessels entered the port during the period, of which 3,356 weighed over 1,000 tons.
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 at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Bandar Abbas was the most active Iranian border with regard to incoming transit last year, as it handled more than 3.93 million tons of incoming transit goods, 13.4% more than the year before,” Dariush Baqer Javan, the general director of Hormozgan Roads Maintenance and Transportation Organization, said.
President Hassan Rouhani broke ground on Phase 3 of Shahid Rajaee Port, Iran’s biggest container port at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, in February.
Upon the completion of the terminal within three years, the port’s capacity will increase to 8 million TEU, the official said, adding that about 10,000 billion rials ($222 million) will only be invested to improve the port’s infrastructure, ILNA reported.
Over half of Iran’s commercial trading is carried out in Shahid Rajaee. The port complex also accounts for over 85% of all container throughput in the country.
With 18 gantry cranesand 40 berths, Shahid Rajaee is the most advanced container port of Iran where 12,000 TEU-plus Panamax cargo ships can enter.
Afifipour noted that plans have been devised to add 12 more gantry cranes and 15 transtainers to the second terminal of the port.
Launched in 1985, the port has expanded every year thereafter. Today it is connected to 80 top ports across the world. The significance of this port lies in its large capacity, including its location in the Persian Gulf, container terminal, fuel bunkering, access to 24 kilometers of railroads and round-the-clock truck transportation.
Shahid Rajaee has 32 active ports, including Shahid Bahonar, Jask, Lengeh, Tiab, Aftab and Kish, which act as backups.