PMO News Portal - The Russian Deputy Minister of Transport stated that we are ready to reduce the problems of maritime transport in the Caspian Sea and facilitate the entry and exit of ships from ports, and emphasized: Problems of ship scheduling and unloading of special and perishable goods are among the issues that we must take immediate action to resolve.

Dmitry Azebrov, referring to the equipping and optimization of the Makhachkala port to facilitate the docking and unloading and loading of various goods, stated: The Russian Ministry of Transport is seeking a comprehensive and complete agreement with Iran in various maritime and port fields.

Tehran's readiness to hold a specialized maritime meeting with Moscow

The head of the Ports and maritime Organization also stated in a meeting with his Russian counterpart that we are seeking to implement a joint action plan to enhance and develop maritime cooperation with Russia, and emphasized: We are pursuing the development of cooperation

Rasouli stated that maximum use of logistics and transit capacities in the Caspian Sea and development of trade cooperation in a single platform are the desires of both Iran and Russia, adding: Unification of port tariffs, facilitating combined transit of the Caspian route, and smoothing container passage through the ports of the two countries require a comprehensive maritime roadmap.

The Deputy Minister of Transport for Roads and Urban Development emphasized: The Ports and Maritime Organization is fully prepared to hold a specialized meeting with Moscow in order to achieve a comprehensive maritime roadmap and a joint action plan in maritime transport.

Saeed Rasouli, Deputy Minister of Transport, Minister of Roads and Urban Development and Head of the Ports and Maritime Organization, in the panel on transport and transit cooperation and technical and engineering services of the "Third Economic Conference of the Caspian Sea Coastal Countries", explained the initiative of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the planning and implementation of a short-term, low-cost and quick-return joint action plan and synergy of the Caspian Sea coastal countries in order to maximize the use of the existing infrastructure capacities and facilities of all transportation sectors and a developmental perspective on the infrastructure and equipment needed in order to jumpstart transportation and transit exchanges.

He pointed out that countries should make maximum use of economic, trade, transport and transit agreements and understandings related to corridors in order to commercialize and make attractive maritime, road and rail transport routes in the east-west and north-south directions of the Caspian Sea and its hinterland in the south, east, west and north of the Caspian Sea.

Rasouli added: Supporting knowledge-based companies in the effective use of capacities such as the TIR Carnet Convention, especially the electronic TIR (E-TIR), the CMR Convention and its electronic form (E-CMR), the Commonwealth of Independent States Rail Transport Council, the OTIF Organization, the CIM and SMGS Conventions, and new electronic and digital technologies are emphasized to integrate transport and customs systems, eliminate document barriers, and exchange information electronically.

He suggested that capable companies from the Caspian Sea littoral countries play an effective role in defining joint work in this field.

The Deputy Minister of Transport for Roads and Urban Development said to the audience of this meeting: Currently, there are some physical and process barriers on the common borders that can be removed with low-cost organizational measures and process improvements. The elimination of these physical barriers at the common borders is based on the transcendent concept of an unhindered and non-stop border crossing, and requires the will and effective coordination of the parties.

PMO News Portal - Hossein Shahdadi, The Deputy Director of Port Affairs of the General Administration of Ports and Maritime Affairs of Sistan and Baluchestan stated: In 2024, Chabahar Port has achieved the second position among the country's container ports by carrying out 90,767 TEU container operations with an 83% growth.

He assessed the increase in container loading and unloading at Shahid Beheshti Port as a result of market development activities, interaction with major shipping lines, especially the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Group.

According to the Deputy Minister of Chabahar Port Affairs, planning for the growth of activities in order to provide services for all customs procedures and commodity groups is considered to be another factor affecting the increase in container operations at this port.

PMO news Portal - during a visit to Shahid Rajaee Port,  Ali Abdul-Alizadeh  emphasized the pivotal role of this port in achieving the country's transit and stated: Shahid Rajaee Port, as the largest active port of the Islamic Republic of Iran, plays a key role in transforming the country into a transit center for goods in the region.

Stating that the development of transit will lead to economic prosperity, create employment, and increase the country's income, he added: The government, focusing on the development of Shahid Rajaee and Shahid Beheshti Chabahar ports, is seeking to create the necessary preparations to begin transit operations.

Referring to his visit to Shahid Beheshti Chabahar Port and Shahid Rajaee Port, he stated: Port managers have committed to providing the necessary preparations to fulfill the country's commitments in the field of transit of Russian cargo. Shahid Rajaee Port is expected to operate at least 30 million tons of transit cargo next year.

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.

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. 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.

PMO News Portal - Mohammad Shakibinasab stated: The Grand Ferry ship, with a length of 145 meters, a width of 26 meters, and a height of 45 meters, has the capacity to transport passengers in five different classes.

He added: This ship is equipped with 500 beds in 250 rooms and 1,500 seats, which can provide extensive services to tourists and passengers.

The Director General of Ports and Maritime Affairs of Bushehr Province continued: With the completion of the major renovation of the Shahid Haqgoo International Marine Passenger Terminal in Bushehr, this project is ready to operate in Persian Gulf

”In line with the implementation of the major policies of sea-oriented development, one of the strategic priorities of Bushehr Port is the development of marine tourism, and the Grand Ferry ship can play an important role in achieving this goal.” He emphasized.

PMO News Portal - "Morteza Salari" added: since the beginning of this year to the end of January this year, 652,265 sea passengers, domestic and international tourists have traveled through western ports of the province, of which 666,422 were on domestic sea routes.

He mentioned the domestic sea routes of the western ports from Lengeh, Aftab and Charak to Kish, Abu Musa and other islands in the Persian Gulf and continued: During this period, 12,902 passengers traveled through these ports to the United Arab Emirates.

PMO News Portal - World Customs Day is a good opportunity to appreciate the efforts of all activists in this important and strategic field. Fortunately, the Customs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in accordance with the slogan of the World Customs Organization, has been successful as the economic border guard of the country and a pivotal and efficient organization in implementing the government's national, transnational and economic policies and programs and a bridge between commercial policies and international trade.

Customs and the Ports and Maritime Organization are two influential institutions in the national economy and international relations and the main arm of the country's trade. Given that more than 85 percent of trade is conducted through ports, interaction and facilitation of service provision between these two organizations is inevitable to achieve the common goal of creating a safe and healthy environment for foreign trade at the country's trade gates.

While appreciating the cooperation, collaboration, and synergy of managers and employees working in the country's customs to facilitate and accelerate foreign trade, I congratulate you on the occasion of World Customs Day (January 26)

PMO News Portal - High-ranking officials of Iran and Tajikistan signed 23 agreements and memorandums of understanding for cooperation.The joint statement of the visit was also signed by the presidents of the two countries.

These 23 documents were signed by the relevant officials of the two countries in the areas including cooperation in the field of transportation development. Iran and Tajikistan have also signed a document regarding the use of Iran's Chabahar port for cargo transit.

a cooperation agreement between Tajikistan’s Ministry of Transport and Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization was signed to develop the transit of goods through Chabahar port. The signing took place during the state visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Tajikistan.

During the talks with his Iranian counterpart, President Rahmon emphasized the importance of fully using the transport and transit potential of Iran’s ports. They also discussed how Chabahar and Bandar Abbas ports could become key hubs for moving goods and products.

PMO News Portal - In his opening remarks at the meeting, Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), highlighted several key points as the IMO’s agenda for 2025.

He stated: “We begin 2025 by focusing on three main themes: seafarers, global security and carbon reduction. These themes will not only impact the current performance of the maritime industry, but will also shape the path of development and innovation in this area.”

Permanent Representative of the Ports and Maritime Organization highlighted: “The year 2025 is recognized as a turning point in issues related to the maritime and shipping industry, and significant developments are expected to occur in these areas.”

According to Pouria Kolivand, in the new year, key and vital issues that will completely transform the future of these industries will be on the agenda. These issues include the IMO greenhouse gas strategy, future fuels, autonomous ships and reform of seafarer training laws and regulations.

He added: “There will also be special attention to seafarers as the main focus of the industry. The next generation of the maritime industry will belong to seafarers who have key competencies in the areas of artificial intelligence and combining maritime knowledge with new technologies. These changes will not only require new and up-to-date training for seafarers, but will also be an opportunity to develop their skills and capabilities in a complex and evolving maritime world.”

The Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC) considers a wide range of technical and operational matters related to ship design and construction, including subdivision and stability. The Sub-Committee also covers testing and approval of construction and materials, load lines, tonnage measurement, safety of fishing vessels and the carriage of industrial personnel.

PMO News Portal - Hossein Abbasnejad stated: Shahid Rajaee Port, as the largest commercial port in Iran, recorded a 123 percent increase in transit of goods via rail in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period last year with a performance of 1 million 77 thousand 728 tons of various types of goods.

The Director General of Ports and Maritime Affairs of Hormozgan added: Shahid Rajaee Port, with its internal rail network of more than 65 kilometers and the connection of its 18 operational areas to rail lines, has played a significant role in increasing the country's share of rail transportation.

PMO News Portal - Reporting on the performance of the first nine months of this year, Saeed Kia Kajouri stated: since the beginning of this year (Iranian calendar) to the end of December, the number of commercial ships entering the ports of Nowshahr and Fereydounkenar was 444, which is a 27 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

He listed 137 inspections to confirm the authenticity of vessels and boats and the issuance of 243 certificates for various types of vessels as other measures taken by the Vessel Registration and Inspection Department in the first nine months of this year.

Kia Kajouri added: Also, in order to increase maritime safety and implement international requirements, laws, guidelines, and conventions, 211 inspections of foreign and flagged ships were carried out by ship control and inspection officers during this period.

The World Maritime Day theme for 2025 "Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity" reflects the ocean’s vital role in the world economy, with more than 80% of global trade transported by sea. The ocean is a source of jobs and food for millions of people, a home for countless marine species, and a regulator of the planet's climate, mitigating the impacts of climate change.

As the largest sector operating in the ocean space, shipping has a central role to play in the protection of the marine environment and management of ocean resources.

IMO’s long-standing commitment on this issue is evident in the robust global regulatory framework supporting cleaner, safer seas, and a growing portfolio of technical assistance initiatives to support ocean protection in 176 Member States

The theme emphasizes the link to wider global efforts to protect the ocean including the conclusion of UN Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), the negotiation of a new instrument to address plastic pollution and the third UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.

The theme will allow all stakeholders to showcase the deep interconnection of shipping and IMO in the ocean space, highlighting the importance of collaboration and coordination to ensure the sustainable and safe use of ocean resources.

PMO News Portal - Abbas Abdulkhani cited the Iranian Customs report as estimating the volume of trade between Iran and Qatar during the first 9 months of this year (Iranian calendar) at around $265 million, adding: "This number represents a 53 percent increase compared to the same period last year."

According to him, trade statistics during the mentioned period indicate the development of economic interactions between the two countries.

Enumerating Iran's most important export items to Qatar, Abdulkhani noted: Vegetables, agricultural products, food, eggs, shrimp, saffron, carpets, construction materials, and minerals are among the most exported items from Iran to Qatar.

Abdulkhani continued: "Iran's export products to Qatar play an important role in meeting the needs of this market, while Iran's imports from Qatar are mainly intermediate goods that are used in the country's domestic production process. This trend indicates the evolution of the supply chain and the strengthening of economic cooperation in the industrial and production fields."

Mohammad Shakibi-Nasab, the director-general of the Ports and Maritime Department of Bushehr province, said that five million tons of commodities were loaded and unloaded in Bushehr port during the nine-month period.

He also mentioned the growth of loading and unloading of container goods in the first nine months of this year, and said that 53,000 TEUs of container cargoes were unloaded and loaded in Bushehr port during the mentioned time span, showing 35 percent growth year on year.

All of these activities have made Bushehr port more prosperous and created jobs and increased the income of this port, the official further highlighted.

During this period, 20.83 million tons of oil goods and 39.55 million tons of non-oil goods were unloaded, bringing total unloading operations to 60.38 million tons. Cargo loading operations included 58.84 million tons of oil goods and 55.77 million tons of non-oil goods, totaling 114.61 million tons, IRNA reported.

Combined loading and unloading operations amounted to 174.99 million tons, with 79.67 million tons of oil goods and 95.32 million tons of non-oil goods.

Additionally, Iran’s ports handled 2.33 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers during this period, reflecting a 14 percent increase compared to 2.05 million TEUs in the same period last year.

President Pezeshkian visited the port on Friday, the second day of his trip to Sistan-and-Baluchestan Province. He learned about the development programs underway at Shahid Beheshti Port, which is the only oceanic port of Iran.

Port managers said, thanks to support from the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, the port is actively involved in a range of organized activities including imports and exports, transshipment, and logistics services, and that cargo owners receive the assistance they need for unloading goods.

Iran Ports and Maritime Organization announced that the studies for the second phase of Shahid Beheshti Port’s development are complete, and construction is set to begin in three months, which will enable ocean-going vessels to dock at this facility.

Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh emphasized that the port's development will stop at the second phase to protect the local fishing pier.

With the help of various departments of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, including Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), this port currently carries out regular operations in the fields of importing, exporting goods, and transshipment, as well as related logistics services.

The feasibility studies for the construction of second phase of this strategic port have been completed, construction operation of which will start as of the first month of the next Iranian calendar year (to start March 21, 2025)

The meeting emphasized facilitating trade between the two nations, the PMO portal reported. the discussions focused on streamlining multimodal transportation between Iran and Uzbekistan via Iranian ports in the country’s northern and southern regions.

The PMO expressed readiness to swiftly address issues faced by Uzbek traders and businesses along regional corridors passing through Iran. The two sides also discussed organizing reciprocal trade delegations, including visits by Uzbek technical representatives, traders, and transport companies to explore Iran’s port capacities for enhanced transit options within the framework of the International North-South Transit Corridor (INSTC).

Additionally, the meeting highlighted the importance of establishing joint regional corridors to facilitate the smooth movement of Uzbek goods to Russia and India, leveraging Iran’s port infrastructure to achieve the goals set by the presidents of both nations.

According to the report more than 20 million tons of oil goods and over 39 million tons of non-oil goods were unloaded at the Iranian ports owned and governed by the Ports and Maritime Organization between March 21 and December 22, 2024.

In the same period, more than 60 million tons of oil- and non-oil goods were unloaded at the Iranian ports.

In the sector of the containerized operations, over 2 million tons of goods were loaded and unloaded at the Iranian ports between March 21 and December 22, 2024, showing a 14 percent growth compared to the same period last year, the report added.

PMO News Portal - while explaining the performance of the ports of the province for the first nine months, Hamid Reza Mohammad Hosseini Takhti, stated: From the beginning of this year to the end of December, two million 293 thousand 294 tons of goods have been unloaded and loaded in the ports of Shahid Bahonar andand ports in East of Hormozgan.

Stating that this amount has increased by 28 percent compared to the same period last year, he added: In the non-oil goods sector, statistics indicate a 33 percent increase in the unloading and loading of these goods.

The Director of Shahid Bahonar Ports and Maritime Affairs noted: During the mentioned period, 21,837 vessels, including 328 vessels over a thousand tons and 21,509 vessels under a thousand tons, have entered the ports of Shahid Bahonar and East of Hormozgan.