Mahmood Mirnabili, Head of Ports and Maritime Office in Astara, made the remarks asserting “as many as 53 ships were loaded at the Iranian port to export 29,906 tons of goods over the first half of the present year.”
The official underlined that the number of ships docked in the port also rose by 15 per cent in the six-month span as compared to the corresponding period last year.
“The number of ships loading and unloading in Astara Port are expected to grow further once a cereal terminal comes on stream in the coming year,” he highlighted.
Mirnabili said main goods being shipped through the port comprised various kinds of wood, MDF, calcium carbonate, cement, tile, iron ingots, poly ethylene and granite stone.
The multipurpose port spanning a 60-hectare area as the first port of Iran’s private sector is the nearest and the most economical trade and transit route connecting the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe to each other.
The port has been designed to host 2,500-ton ships and, upon completion, one of its harbors will be devoted to loading and unloading of petroleum products with a capacity of 1,500 tons while the second harbor, able to moor five vessels simultaneously, will be allocated to shipment of other commodities.
The border city Astara lies in northern Gilan Province which neighbors the Republic of Azerbaijan.
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