Financial Tribune - Iran and Italy are planning to launch a direct shipping route from Iran�s southeastern Chabahar Port to Italy�s northern port city of Venice.

The plan was discussed in a meeting between the head of Iran Ports and Maritime Organization, Mohammad Rastad, and Secretary-General of Venice Maritime Cluster Paolo Malaguti in Tehran on Sunday, the news portal of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development reported.

�After conducting research and studies, the high potential of Chabahar Port and Chabahar Free Trade Zone caught our attention � We hope that Venice Maritime Cluster can be a bridge connecting Italy and Iran. The dry and mechanized port of Padua, 40 kilometers from Venice, is connected to all parts of Europe and has provided excellent facilities for cargo transportation from the port of Venice to elsewhere in the continent,� Malaguti said.