TEHRAN (Iran News) – Loading and unloading of goods in the ports of Iran rose seven percent during the first quarter of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-June 21), as compared to the first quarter of the previous year, the deputy head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (MPO) announced.
Farhad Montaser Kouhsari said despite the limitation due to the sanctions and coronavirus pandemic, the loading and unloading capacity of the country’s commercial ports has increased to 44.9 million tons in the current year, from 42 million tons in the past year.
The official further announced that 21 million tons of oil products was loaded and unloaded in the ports of Iran during the three-month period of this year, rising 17 percent as compared to the same period of the previous year.
He said 536,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of container products were loaded and unloaded in the said time span of the present year, one percent more than 536,000 TEUs in the first quarter of the past year.
The condition created by the coronavirus outbreak has had some devastating effect on different aspects of global trade.
In Iran, the condition has been even worse, as the country has been tackling the U.S. unilateral sanctions on its economy.
But despite all limitations and barriers, the country has managed to act successfully in running its economy and trade.
Iran’s port activities, which play some major part in the country’s trade, have been noticeable in this due.
The reports released in terms of the loading and unloading operation in the ports of the country are an indication of such successful trend.
As previously announced by the head of PMO, loading and unloading of commodities at the ports of Iran have risen six percent during the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19).
Mohammad Rastad also announced that the entrance of ocean vessels to the ports of country has increased eight percent in the previous year, PMO published on its website.
While Iran is combating the U.S. unilateral sanctions on its economy, the country’s ports as the major gates of exports and imports play some significant role in this battle. This role makes all-out support to ports and more development of them serious and vital.
Such necessity has led the government to define projects for more development of the ports and also take some measures to encourage investment making in ports, in addition to facilitate loading and unloading of goods, especially basic commodities, there.
It is worth mentioning that PMO has defined a high number of projects to develop and improve the country’s ports, as the country aims to double the capacity of its ports in a course of five years.
