Publish Date: 10 January 2017 - 14:25

TEHRAN, Jan. 10 (MNA) – Deputy industry minister said a quarter shipbuilding company will be formed by the end of January in partnership with IDRO, IRISL, NITC as well as South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) shipbuilding company.

Managing Director of Industrial Development & Renovation Organization of Iran (IDRO) Mansour Moazemi made the remarks while addressing a seminar for introducing achievements in shipbuilding design and engineering.

He pointed to the need for 37 billion dollars of investment for construction of required vessels in the country by the year 2025.

The official further reported on IDRO’s plan to hold scientific conferences on a monthly basis in collaboration with its credible partners; “IDRO is seeking to regain its real identity and in view of the country’s economic situation, development organizations like IDRO could play an industrial role in industrial developments.”

Moazemi recalled that 19 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed following implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) asserting that seven or eight of the agreements will turn into contracts within months while IDRO’ share in all of them stands lower than 49 per cent.

He emphasized the need for foreign investment hence IDRO’s approach towards cooperation with international firms in a bid to activate capabilities and capacities.

Deputy industry minister referred to the recent contract between Iranian Shipping Lines (IRISL) and South Korea’s Hyundai company which dates back to 2008 adding “the deal was not completely approved by the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade since Minister Nematzadeh has always called for exploitation of domestic capabilities; “accordingly, the agreement with Hyundai requires the South Korean firm to offer training courses to 50 Iranians in the designing sector.”

“In a separate MoU, Iran agreed to share a part of its capabilities in manufacturing shipbuilding equipment with Hyundai,” noted the official announcing that a South Korean will make a visit to Iran in the coming week for relevant talks.

Moazemi deemed the gap between producers and consumers as a major issue in the country’s industry and called for mutual understanding between the two parties.

“In the same line, a trilateral partnership has emerged between IDRO, IRISL and the National Iranian Tanker Company as an attempt to bridge the gap between manufacturers and consumers as well as to take the most out of domestic capacities. Later, a joint MoU was sealed between IDRO and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) shipbuilding company on December 28, 2016 and a quartet firm will be formed by the end of January by the Korean firm, IRISL, NITC and IDRO who will enjoy 20, 20, 25 and 30 per cent of the total share, respectively.”

Also on the sidelines of the seminar, a cooperation agreement was inked between Iran Shipbuilding & Offshore Industries Complex Co (ISOICO) and Neptun Ship Design, Germany´s largest ship design office established in 1992, in the field of designing and engineering of various types of ships.

The newly-signed MoU hold great significance given that Iran has obtained the technology to design megaships and ships as heavy as over 100 to 400 thousand tons will be constructed domestically henceforth.

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