TEHRAN- The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) has resumed its routes to various destinations across Europe, the IRIB quoted the IRISL managing director Mohammad Saeedi as saying on Monday.

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.
Saeedi, elsewhere, announced that IRISL’s transportation and banking difficulties have been majorly overcome in the post-sanction era, while insurance-related problems of Iranian vessels and their rankings have also been managed.
IRISL rose to the place of 22nd largest shipping line in the world, according to a March 2016 report of Alphaliner, the global information platform designed to serve the needs of the liner shipping industry.
IRISL was classified number 23 in February. 
With owning 43 ships, IRISL currently has the capacity of 96,160 twenty-foot-equivalent unit (TEU), together with 2,288 TEU in order-book, the review indicates. 
Based on Alphaliner latest report, the IRISL’s capacity takes up 0.5% of world’s shipping lines. 
In March, Saeidi said the fleet is aiming to rise to the place of 15th largest shipping line in the next two years with a broad objective to get among the top ten in the course of five years.
U.S. sanctions barred IRISL fleet of about 170 vessels from sailing in international waters. They also prohibited international shipping companies from calling on Iranian ports.   
International shipping lines are stepping up port calls to Iran as the country’s massive maritime trade sector is emerging from sanctions.   

HJ/MA