Tehran, July 12, IRNA � Managing Director for Ports and Maritime Organization Mohammad Saeednejad said that public and private sectors have invested more than five billion dollars to develop trade ports in Iran.


Saeednejad, who is also deputy minister of Road and Urban Development, said on Monday afternoon that private sector has so far invested around one billion dollars in Shahid Rajaei Port.

He added that following implementation of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), 13 world shipping line companies started their shuttles to Shahid Rajaei Port.

Saeednejad said that loading and unloading capacity of Iranian trade ports increased to more than 210 million tons, adding that 10,000 kilometers of railways and 100,000 kilometers of roads have created suitable positions for Iranian ports in the region.

The deputy minister said that Iran is located in a strategic region and access to international corridors of north, southeast and west, Central Asian states, southeast of Asia, Russia, the Persian Gulf and world high seas could be facilitated.

He added that passing important international corridors from Iran, easy access to regional markets, being located in two secure and stable regions as well as discount and tariff facilities for goods transit are among advantages of using Iran's routes.

Iran has appropriate programs on its agenda to develop ports of Shahid Rajaei, Imam Port, Bushehr, Chabahar, Anzali and Amirabad to increase capacity of the ports and take advantage of Iran's excellent position in the region.

Saeednejad spoke at a gathering in Tehran on Monday dubbed as;' Day of Antwerp Port',Belgium.

Belgian Ambassador to Tehran Francois Delhaye said in the gathering that there are suitable opportunities to develop trade cooperation between the two countries.

Managing Director of Antwerp Port Eddy Bruyninckx introduced capacities of the port and said that undoubtedly signing a memorandum of understanding for sisterhood between Shahid Rajaei Port and Antwerp Port will develop interaction and cooperation between the two countries.

By IRNA