TEHRAN (Iran News) – Managing Director of Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) says IRISL transported some 27m tons of goods last year which was a new record despite sanctions, and in the first quarter of the current year goods shipment has grown by 20%.
Speaking to ILNA, Mohammad Reza Modarres Khiabani said that the shipping lines have not received any subsidies from the government but it has improved the condition for transportation of goods despite sanctions.
He went on to say that he is not aware about giving subsidies for operation in the northern ports and said that IRISL is active as the leader of the national marine transportation and other shipping lines are also active in the country and IRISL only accounts for 35% of the shipping market in northern country and other transportation companies have more shares of the market.
Modarres Khiabani reiterated that IRISL has not been paid any subsidy by the government and it has also suffered a lot due to the sanctions problem and the final cost of the shipping services which has been higher than the global prices but since IRISL is obliged to offer competitive rates, it is now active as the leader of transportation in the market.
On completing the IRISL fleet through using the domestic capabilities and capacities, he said that the contract for general cargo ships have been signed and the process for their manufacture has started and it has progressed 20%, adding that the engineering design for ro-ro vessels has completed and the operation for building ro-ro ships has started and in two years the domestic ro-ro will be handed over to IRISL.
On the possible presence of this company in the tender call for operating Chabahar Port, Modarres Khiabani said that the regular line for Chabahar Port-India route has been launched and there is at least one ship is dispatched on this route per week.
He reiterated that last year despite the pandemic, IRISL set a record for transportation of goods, adding that last year the company transported 27m tons of goods and set a new record and in the first quarter of the current year, the company saw 20% growth in transportation of goods.
