Foreign Investors Eyeing Investment in Iran's Chabahar

Foreign entities have shown interest in investing in Chabahar port in Southeastern Iran, and 11 investment agreements have been signed to be implemented by the end of this Persian year, Director General of Ports and Maritime office of Sistan and Baluchestan Behrouz Aqaei said.

"The number of those who are interested in investment in Chabahar Port has been on the rise, and it is expected that business people and traders benefit from the advantages of the port such as the capacity of loading and unloading at the port," Aqaei said.

Aqaei noted that the annual capacity of loading and unloading in Chabahar Port has reached 8.5 million tons in the first phase of Shahid Beheshti Port, a part of Chabahar Port.

"Chabahar, as the biggest port with access to ocean is of satisfactory capabilities," he said, adding, "Due to being located out of the Persian Gulf region, Chabahar can play a major role in promoting the maritime trade."

Saying that the port has been equipped by modern technologies, Aqaei noted, "Chabahar can link the landlocked states such as Afghanistan and those of the Commonwealth of the Independent States to the international waters."

Afghanistan procures 95 percent of its supplies through imports, and therefore, the port will be the least expensive route for transferring goods, he said.

Various projects, including the second phase of development of Shahid Beheshti port, oil and petrochemical terminals, durable goods warehouse, open warehouse, terminal hall, passenger wharf, shipyard to build and offer maintenance services for ships, and petrochemical downstream industries are among the major investment opportunities in Chabahar.

Chabahar is a city in the southeastern Iran, on Gulf of Oman. A Free Trade and Economic Zone - FTEZ in Sistan-Baluchestan province on border with Pakistan.