By Faridat Salifu
In a significant boost to maritime trade, the Chabahar Port in southeastern Iran has reported a 30 percent increase in the loading and unloading of goods over the first ten months of the out-gone Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2024, to January 19, 2025).
This marks a notable rise compared to the same period last year.
Qasem Askari, head of Sistan-Baluchestan’s Ports and Maritime Department, highlighted a 10 percent growth specifically in the handling of essential goods during this timeframe. Chabahar port, Iran’s only oceanic facility on the Gulf of Oman, plays a critical role in the nation’s economic and political landscape, prompting the government to invest heavily in its development.
The port features two terminals Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti each equipped with five berthing facilities.
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Strategically located approximately 120 kilometers from Pakistan’s Gwadar port, which is financed by China, Chabahar has become a focal point for regional trade.
In 2016, a trilateral agreement between India, Iran, and Afghanistan positioned Chabahar as a key access point for New Delhi to Kabul and Central Asia.
Under a separate arrangement, India has been enhancing port operations through a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract, introducing modern loading and unloading equipment.
The Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) reported that Iranian ports handled a total of 194.79 million tons of goods in the first ten months, with oil product unloading reaching 23.53 million tons and non-oil products at 44.16 million tons.
Container traffic also saw a rise, processing 2.57 million TEUs—an increase of 13 percent from the previous year.
As part of ongoing efforts to enhance operational efficiency, the PMO is focused on upgrading infrastructure and expanding storage capabilities, aiming to meet the increasing demands of trade and support Iran’s broader economic objectives
