TEHRAN – The loading and unloading of goods in Khorramshahr port, in Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province, increased by 46 percent during the first 10 months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2024 – January 19, 2025), as compared to the same time span in the previous year, according to a provincial official.

Ali Asgari, the director-general of the Ports and Maritime Department of Khorramshahr county, said that 90 percent of the products exported from this port is to Iraq and 10 percent to Kuwait.

The Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) of Iran has announced that a total of 194.79 million tons of goods were loaded and unloaded at the country’s ports during the first 10 months of the current Iranian calendar year.

According to the PMO's statemen, oil product unloading totaled 23.53 million tons, while unloading of non-oil products reached 44.16 million tons, bringing the total unloaded goods to 67.69 million tons.

Oil product loading at PMO-controlled ports amounted to 64.41 million tons, and non-oil product loading totaled 62.69 million tons, resulting in a combined loading volume of 127.10 million tons by the end of the 10-month period.

The total volume of oil product loading and unloading during this period stood at 87.94 million tons, while non-oil product operations accounted for 106.84 million tons. Altogether, 194.79 million tons of oil and non-oil products were handled.

The ports handled 2.57 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers during this period, marking a 13 percent increase compared to the same period last year, which saw 2.28 million TEUs processed.

Iran’s ports have a total nominal capacity of over 260 million tons per year, allowing them to handle a wide range of oil and non-oil commodities. Key ports, such as Shahid Rajaei Port in Hormozgan Province, account for a significant portion of the country’s trade activity due to their advanced infrastructure and strategic location along international shipping routes.

Investments in port infrastructure have further enhanced the efficiency of loading and unloading operations, reducing turnaround times for vessels.

The PMO has emphasized the importance of increasing port capacity to accommodate growing trade volumes and support Iran’s economic development goals. Upgrades in equipment, digitalization of operations, and expanded storage facilities are part of ongoing efforts to optimize port efficiency.

MA