Figures show activity in ports across Iran have surged by 2.2 per cent compared to the figures for last year.

CEO of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) Ali Akbar Safaei said on Saturday that loading and unloading at Iranian ports had increased by 2.2% in the year to March 20 compared to the same previous period to reach 82 million metric tons.

Safaei said the rise had taken place despite a fall reported in Iran’s imports of basic goods over the past calendar year.

He said container loading and unloading at Iranian ports had also increased by 5% last calendar year compared to year to late March 2022.

Exports from Iran had accounted for 70% of the total ports activity in the country in the year to late March, said the PMO chief, adding that passenger traffic in the ports had also increased by 8% year on year over the same period.

Transit via Iranian ports rose by 39% over the last Iranian year, said Safaei, adding that transit via ports on the Caspian Sea in northern Iran had increased significantly over the period thanks to a surge in shipments arriving from Russia and Europe.

The official said Iran is spending heavily to expand its ports infrastructure, adding that the government has some 530 trillion rials ($1.1 billion) worth of ongoing projects in ports and coastal regions of the country.

On shipbuilding, Safaei said the Iranian government has spent nearly $1 billion on the purchase or manufacturing of large ocean vessels.