“During the same period, container unloading [imports] hit 208,735 TEUs, registering a 3% decrease YOY,” Alireza Mohammadi Karajiran was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
The official noted that container transit through Shahid Rajaee Port during the six months under review stood at 141,050 TEUs, indicating an 85% increase compared with the corresponding period of last year.
“A total of 824 vessels used this southern port in H1, which show a YOY increase of 2.4%,” he said.
Shahid Rajaee Special Economic Zone, located in the southern Hormozgan Province, accounts for the highest share of all goods exported from and imported to Iran.
The economic zone, which has a loading/unloading capacity of 100 million tons per year, accounts for over half of Iran's trade and about two-thirds of total freight transit through the country.
The lion’s share of Iran’s containers was handled at Shahid Rajaee Port Complex.
With 18 gantry cranes and 40 berths, Rajaee is the most advanced container port of Iran.
Launched in 1985, the port has expanded every year. Today it is connected to 80 ports worldwide.
The significance of this port lies in its large capacity, including its Persian Gulf location, container terminal, fuel bunkering, access to 24 kilometers of railroads and round-the-clock truck transportation.
In terms of transit, again Shahid Rajaee Special Economic Zone tops the list of Iranian customs terminals.
Hormozgan PMO’s Contracts
Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Organization finalized investment contracts with five local and one foreign company on Dec. 24 last year. The contracts worth 250 trillion rials ($890 million) will help develop 2,400 hectares of hinterlands newly added to Shahid Rajaee Port and upgrade southern ports to ports of third generation.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development developed a taxonomy that classifies ports into first, second and third generations. First-generation ports only perform traditional port activities, i.e., they are simply interfaces between the land and the sea.
Second-generation ports are characterized as support service centers for transport, industry and trade that provide certain value-added cargo services, such as labeling volumes, consolidation, deconsolidation and completion of production processes.
Third-generation ports are dynamic links in international trade networks and active agents that design and implement strategies for the complete development of a port’s area of influence.
The agreements include investment by Bama Company in establishing zinc, lead and manganese factories, Entekhab Industrial Group in construction of home appliance plants, Kayhan Port and Maritime Services Company in launching a variety of industries and Nahavand Arman Company investment in establishing a refinery.
A Chinese company will also invest in establishing a container manufacturing plant.
The Ports and Maritime Organization also finalized a memorandum of understanding with Bank Melli Iran Brokerage Company. The brokerage company will provide financial guarantees for these projects, the ministry’s news portal, News.mrud.ir, reported.
Investment projects in Shahid Rjaee Port will create 20,000 jobs and their duration must not exceed three years, former minister of roads and urban development, Mohammad Eslami, said.
“Increasing the capacity of Iranian ports to 280 million tons was the main approach pursued by the ministry and PMO over the past 40 years. As per development plans, their capacity must reach 500 million tons in five years,” he concluded.