TEHRAN - The capacity of Iranian ports has increased to 290 million tons, according to the head of the country’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO).

Ali-Akbar Safaei said the increase in the loading and unloading capacity of the ports has led to the growth of the country’s maritime trade by eight percent in the current Iranian calendar year (ends on March 19) compared to the previous year.

Stating that 140,000 ships visit Iran's ports every year, he added: “Although private sector fleets are facing sanctions restrictions, Iran's maritime fleet is now among the top 20 countries in the world.”

Iran’s ports, as the major gates of exports and imports, play some significant role in the country’s global trade, and the ongoing operation at the ports indicates that they are playing their part perfectly in this regard.

Attaching great importance to the role of ports, the Iranian government has always put the development of ports atop agenda of its activities.

By examining the regional conditions and capacities of ports, Iran’s maritime sector has always put the development and equipping of the country's ports in line with the developments and advances of technology and the latest technologies in the world, and despite the limitations due to the expansion of sanctions, it has been able to increase the capacity of commercial ports through relying on the specialized and experienced manpower and utilizing the power of domestic expert consultants by defining and advancing development projects in the country's ports.

In this regard, PMO defined a high number of projects at the beginning of the current government’s incumbency to develop and improve the country’s ports.

Among the most significant projects in this field, the development of Shahid Beheshti port in Chabahar, continuing implementation of the first phase of container terminal of Shahid Beheshti port, completing the first phase of Shahid Rajaee port’s development, continuing the second phase of developing Shahid Rajaee port, continuing the first phase and implementing the second phase of Amir-Abad port development,  continuing development of Anzali port, development of Negin island in Bushehr, development of infrastructure in logistic areas of Shahid Rajaee port, Imam Khomeini port, Amir-Abad port, and Negin island, maintenance of the docks of commercial ports, rebuilding and supplying strategic maritime, port, and telecommunication equipment, improving buildings and infrastructure in the ports, development of passenger terminals in Anzali port, Khorammshahr port, Lengeh port, Khark port, and Genvahe port, as well as equipping the passenger terminals with the modern equipment can be mentioned.

EF/MA