“During the same period, container unloading [imports] hit 220,868 TEUs, registering a 6% decrease year-on-year,” Alireza Mohammadi Karajiran was also quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.
The official added that container transit through Shahid Rajaee Port during the seven months stood at 141,050 TEUs, indicating a 74% increase year-on-year.
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 is handled at the 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 and is connected to 80 ports worldwide.
The significance of this port lies in its location in the Persian Gulf and facilities, such as container terminal, fuel bunkering, access to 24 kilometers of railroads and round-the-clock truck transportation.
In terms of transit, Shahid Rajaee Special Economic Zone tops the other Iranian customs terminals.
Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Organization finalized investment contracts with five local and one foreign company on Dec. 24 last year. The agreements worth 250 trillion rials ($909 million) aim to develop 2,400 hectares of hinterlands newly added to Shahid Rajaee Port and improve southern ports to ports of third generation.
The agreements include investment by Bama Company in establishing zinc, lead and manganese factories, Entekhab Industrial Group in building home appliance plants, Kayhan Port and Maritime Services Company in creating 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 that 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.”