TEHRAN- The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) has advanced in the Alphaliner’s Top 100 ranking, climbing to 21st place in June from 22nd in May.

The Alphaliner Top 100 is the ranking of the largest container or liner operators in terms of global capacity, taking into account the fleets of virtually all of the container operators worldwide.

IRISL had also been ranked 22nd in April.

Owning 47 ships, IRISL currently has the capacity of 99,582 twenty-foot-equivalent unit (TEU), together with 2,288 TEU in order-book.

Based on Alphaliner’s report, the IRISL’s capacity takes up 0.5% of world’s shipping lines.

IRISL has resumed its routes to various destinations across Europe, IRIB quoted the IRISL managing director Mohammad Saeedi as saying in April.

Iran’s shipping lines to Europe had been cut for seven years under the western-led sanctions against the country, but shipping lines to Homburg in Germany, Antwerp in Belgium, and Genoa in Italy are now re-connected thanks to the removal of sanctions, the official said.

He added that Iran also plans to resume its shipping lines to Latin America, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay on the way to make its exports and imports easier and of course at lower prices.

MA