TEHRAN – Some 242 million tons of goods were transported across Iran during the first six half of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-September 21), data released by Iran Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization (RMTO) showed.

Based on the data, over 49.3 million tons or 20 percent of the mentioned commodities were agricultural, livestock, and food products which was eight percent more than the figure for the same period in the previous year, IRNA reported.

As reported, a significant amount of the mentioned basic goods was transported from the country’s ports.

The acceleration of freight transportation, especially in border terminals and ports, has become one of the RMTO’s main priorities and the organization’s workforce and staff are taking all the necessary measures to keep the distribution of goods afloat during the coronavirus outbreak.

Iran’s Minister of Transport and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami had recently announced that the transportation of goods from the ports is a priority of his ministry because the volume of warehouse capacities in the ports is not enough and there is a concern that basic goods will be deposited to such an extent that their distribution would become difficult.

Back in May, Head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) Mohammad Rastad said 4.1 million tons of basic goods were stored at the country’s ports, waiting to be distributed across the country.

According to the official, over 14.3 million tons of basic goods were loaded and unloaded in the country’s ports, since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20) up to May 10, 35 percent less than the figure for the last year’s same period.

Currently, more than 90 percent of the country's freight and passenger transportation is carried out through roads, and 1.5 million people work in this sector.

Nearly 450 million tons of cargo is transported annually in the country by 340,000 trucks, while another 250 million tons is also transported by mini-trucks to shorter distances across the country, according to Deputy Transport Minister Abdolhashem Hassan-Nia.

EF/MA