TEHRAN – The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) now ranks 17th among the world’s largest container shipping companies and has maintained its position among the global top 20 for nearly a decade, according to the company’s head.

Mohammadreza Modarres Khiabani, IRISL’s managing director, told IRNA that the company continues to hold the top position among maritime transport operators in Iran and the region.

He said IRISL increased its capital by 41 percent this year, bringing it to 116 trillion rials (about $232 million), despite sanctions and international restrictions.

“Although global freight rates have fallen by 45 to 55 percent compared with 2024, the company’s performance remains strong,” he added.

Container transport grew by 0.4 percent in the Iranian year 1403 (March 2024–March 2025) compared with the previous year, with more than 860,000 TEUs handled. In bulk cargo, IRISL carried 10.23 million tons of various goods, up 9.3 percent year-on-year, while its Caspian Sea fleet transported 1.41 million tons, marking an 11 percent increase.

Modarres Khiabani noted that IRISL employs nearly 4,000 Iranian seafarers. “In 2019, more than 680 foreign crew members were active in our fleet, but thanks to our maritime training institute, all current seafarers are now Iranian. Foreign crew are only engaged in exceptional cases at foreign ports,” he said.

He added that IRISL’s assets currently include 144 vessels with a total capacity of 5 million deadweight tons (DWT), encompassing space for 160,000 TEUs, along with 324,000 TEU containers for export and import services and about 1,600 freight wagons operating across the company’s logistics network.

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