TEHRAN - The first phase of Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar, southeastern Iran, will be inaugurated by early December with an estimated investment of $1 billion.

Mohammad Rastad, managing director of Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), announced that the inauguration ceremony will be attended by President Hassan Rouhani, top officials from 27 countries, as well as representatives of the private sector active in maritime and ports industries.
 
"Senior transportation officials from Russia, Turkey, China, South Korea, and India have been invited accordingly to attend the ceremony," Mehr news agency quoted Rastad as saying.

“Supplying the required infrastructure and equipment for implementing the first phase of the port’s development plan has cost about $1 billion,” he added.

Referring to the agreement made between PMO and an Indian company for making an 85-million-dollar investment in Shahid Beheshti port, Rastad added that the Indian company is to buy 32 machines for improving infrastructure in this port, while PMO has imported 24 quality machines in this regard per se.

According to PMO managing director, four different development phases have been defined for Shahid Beheshti port and being complemented, the port’s capacity will be increased up to 82 million tons. 

He hoped that equipping Chabahar with such equipment will convert the country’s mere oceanic port into a transit hub for regional countries. 

HJ/MA/MG

PHOTO: Managing Director of Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) Mohammad Rastad