TEHRAN – The Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) said 7,453,720 tons of basic commodities were unloaded at the ports of the country during the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-July 21).

As the organization announced, the figure shows 14 percent rise year on year.

As the PMO has previously announced, 21,517,788 tons of basic commodities were unloaded at the ports of the country during the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19).

Wheat, barley, corn, soy, rice, sugar, and vegetable oil were the main products unloaded in the Iranian ports in this period, the organization said.

In this period, more than 624,000 tons of sugar and over 989,000 tons of vegetable oil were unloaded at the Iranian ports, the PMO noted.

Earlier, the PMO said that the loading and unloading of goods in the containerized operation sector registered a 10 percent growth in the 12-month period compared to a year before.

As reported, about 236,512,240 tons of goods were loaded and unloaded at ports affiliated with PMO in the previous Iranian calendar year, showing a 10 percent hike compared to a year earlier.

Totally, more than 80 million tons of oil- and non-oil goods were unloaded at the Iranian ports in the previous Iranian calendar year, IRIB news agency reported.

The loading and unloading of goods in the containerized operation sector registered a five percent growth in the 12-month period compared to a year before.

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 a 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 facilitating the loading and unloading of goods, especially basic commodities, there.

It is worth mentioning that Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization 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 the course of five years.

According to the PMO, the capacity of the country's ports has increased from 180 million tons in the Iranian calendar year 1392 (ended in March 2014) to 250 million tons in 1399 (ended in March 2021).