This year, we have World Maritime Day as the country's large
maritime family has spent the last few months facing the challenges posed by
the Covid-19 pandemic, and concerns about overcoming these conditions have been
exacerbated by another not-so-unfamiliar phenomenon, the Illegal and cowardly
sanctions by the government of the United States.
In the face of the US pressures, our people have witnessed
the active resistance of Iranian zealous seafarers, and the shipping of five vessels
to Venezuela was an example of the seafarers’ courage and bravery that reminded
the world of the core strength of the Islamic Republic's maritime society.
Despite the fact that the current situation is not normal,
the senior officials of the country's maritime field are working hard to
eliminate the shortcomings, and thanks to measures taken, they are very
optimistic and hopeful about the country's maritime future. The Islamic
Republic of Iran, with its superior geographical location and about 5,800
kilometers of coastline, enjoys a large shipping fleet that can provide
countless advantages with long-term planning and coordination with the goals of
sustainable development. In this regard, we believe that in line with major
development visions, especially the regulations of the Sixth Development Plan
and the vision of the Ports and Maritime Organization, and also relying on the
strength and expertise of Iranian seafarers, we can proudly cross the obstacles
in our path.
Another point to consider in this regard is coordination
with international maritime organizations and institutions. The Islamic
Republic has been one of the leading countries in acceding to international
conventions and agreements, and we have welcomed these conventions wherever
national interests require. Now that the International Maritime Organization
has chosen the theme "Sustainable Shipping for a Sustainable Planet",
and in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals for all countries
in the field of sea and maritime, we at the Ports and Maritime Organization will
do our best as well. We are committed to
implementing "Maritime, the Clean Ambassador for Sustainable
Development" and thus playing a positive and constructive role in the
global maritime community.
The strategic position of the maritime industry in the
country becomes more prominent as we know that 90% of cargo traffic is
transported by sea. In recent months, we have all witnessed the sacrifices of
health personnel to alleviate the suffering of people with Corona disease, but
going through the harsh conditions of sanctions has required other sacrifices:
sailors and seafarers; During this time, they have struggled with great
difficulty and now, on World Maritime Day, they deserve to be appreciated. In
the constraints of the Corona Pandemic, the large maritime community has not
allowed the country to face a crisis in terms of the supply of basic commodities
and medicines.
In order to point out the positive achievements in this
difficult period, undoubtedly a highlight to be mentioned is the empathy and
cooperation among the bodies involved in the country's supply chain. As a
result of these accompaniments, not a single day of unloading and loading
operations in the ports was affected, and the country's ports were active 24
hours a day; Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected the
process of unloading and loading of goods on a global scale, and our country's
ports were no exception.