BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 11
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
A permanent container shipping line will be established between Iran and Russia in the Caspian Sea, member of Iran and Russia Chamber of Commerce and advisor of working group for Development of International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project Jalil Jalalifar said, Trend reports citing Ministry of Roads and Urban Development of Iran.
The working group on the development of the INSTC section between Russia's Lotus Astrakhan Special Economic Zone and Iran's Anzali Trade and Industrial Free zone focuses on increasing the transportation of products across the Caspian Sea.
According to Jalalifar, the first two refrigerated cargo ships will depart in September.
He added that at the request of the product owners, the cargo from Russia to the ports in northern Iran and from Russia to Iran will be transported by ships of a Russian company.
Jalalifar said that the products will be transported via land and railway from ports in northern Iran to ports in southern Iran and further to the receiving countries.
The advisor noted that due to the lack of container ships in the Caspian Sea, it was not possible to increase Iran's agricultural and food exports to Russia.
"So far, Iran has not had a refrigerated cargo ship in the Caspian Sea. At present, necessary steps have been taken to purchase a container via local investment," he said.
The official emphasized that the number of such containers will increase every month and better conditions will be created for Iran's export of agricultural products through the Caspian Sea.
According to him, as a result of the efforts of the working group for INSTC development, attention of large companies from different countries has been attracted to the project.
"The working group also intends to ensure that representatives of transit companies such as Iraq, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf states join the group," he said.
The official stressed that the transit companies will benefit from special discounts according to the volume of cargo transshipped through the corridor.
