As reported by the portal of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) , the Iran’s southeastern Chabahar Port has launched three direct container shipping lines to Nhava Sheva and Kandla ports in India as well as Jebel Ali Port in United Arab Emirate.
Previously Iran and India had launched shipping lines between Chabahar and the Indian ports of Mumbai, and Mundra. The first shipping route between the two countries was put into operation in 2017 between Iran’s Chabahar port and Mumbai.
Earlier, in January 2019, Iran and India inaugurated the second direct shipping route which passes through Mumbai, Mundra, Kandla, Chabahar, and finally Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.
The mentioned shipping routes are being utilised by India to transit goods to Afghanistan and Persian Gulf nations as well as the countries in Central Asia.
The Chabahar port allows India to bypass Pakistan and transport goods directly to Afghanistan and Central Asia, while Afghanistan can get linked to India via sea.
India has been awarded the project for installing and operating modern loading and unloading equipment including mobile harbor cranes in Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar by Iran.
The strategic Chabahar port in southeastern Iran is the only ocean port on the Makran coast and it has a special place in the country’s economic affairs.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in September 2021 called upon the Central Asian countries to benefit from Chabahar Port capacities for expanding their trade in the region.
Source: Tehran Times
