IRISL's First Container Ship Set off to Europe

The president and the chairman of the board at the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL) deemed the set-off of Iranian ships to Europe as the first tangible result of JCPOA execution.

News ID: 60639

Date: 29 February 2016 - 14:51

In the Seminar for Iran-Singapore Trade Abilities held at IRISL, MANA reported, Dr. Mohammad Saeedi announced that IRISL's first ship will dock at European ports in the next few days. Fortunately, he further stated, the first results of JCPOA execution have emerged in the IRISL, and IRISL's first container ship set off to European ports after 5 years of sanctions. We prognosticate that it will have docked at a European port within the few upcoming days.

Reassuring that Iran used to possess maritime transportation fleet from the past years and this is not a privilege that many countries enjoy, Dr. Saeedi stated that all European countries, in a unified decision, blocked the maritime routes for Iranian ships, and prevented them from docking at their trade ports.

The president and the chairman of the board at the IRISL added that fortunately, with the execution of JCPOA and the lifting of the sanctions in the past five months, IRISL has adopted new measures, in a way that we have managed to reopen our maritime connection and maritime routes with Europe.

Announcing that the new national plans rely on IRISL's coverage of European ports from North to South, Dr. Saaedi asserted that IRISL managed to cover the north and south of Europe by its recent negotiations with Germany and Italy and through the establishment of joint-ventures: A measure that led IRISL to utilize its full capacities in the retrieval of its relationships.

According to Dr. Saeedi, the first IRISL to reach Europe is carrying petrochemical cargo. He emphasized this significant event has been made possible thanks to the pertinacious endeavors of the managers and the staff of IRISL, who managed to resume  IRISL's ships' routes to Europe after 5 years of sanctions.

The president and the chairman of the board at the IRISL stressed that his company has in mind to extend its routes by establishing organized and regular lines from Persian Gulf ports to those of Latin America. In the big picture, Saeedi said, IRISL will found the resistance shipping line between East Asia and Latin America. He further announced IRISL has some prospects for Central America and North America (Canada-Oriented) as well, and hoped that Canadian government's lifting of sanctions against Iran will pave the way to IRISL's plans to be implemented.

Announcing that IRISL is currently in possession of 160 ships, Dr. Saeedi asserted that his company was negotiating with some domestic and foreign companies for the expansion of this fleet.

He also emphasized that IRISL left no room for disruption in Iran's export and import activities despite all the deprivations and sanctions. IRISL did so, he said, while each and every major shipping line and international port had terminated their relationship with Iran, and placed Iran under serious sanctions.

As the largest national Iranian fleet in the Middle East, Saeedi claimed, IRISL does expect all the relevant ministries to support it in the post- JCPOA era, and provide IRI's national fleet with ample facilities and port and terminal credits so that it could flourish and thrive.

The president and the chairman of the board at the IRISL briefed the press on the plans to expand his fleet, and stated that currently, IRISL capacity is over 5 million tons (DWT), and this capacity needs to be extended in the view of the increase in Iran's exports, particularly to the European countries.

Expressing IRISL's intention to reactivate domestic shipyards and to promote their abilities in the country, Saeedi added that his company was also negotiating with several European, South Korean and Chinese shipyards to provide for the ships they need.

Giving the latest updates on the ships that IRISL ordered to Iran Shipbuilding & Offshore Industries Complex Co (ISOICO), Saeedi submitted that ISOICO is completing the final stages of constructing the ordered ship. After the completion of the construction, Iran's Classification Society (ICS) should audit the ship in terms of technical issues and the necessary standards, and then, IRISL could officially consider the ship delivered. Thus, we are waiting for the contractor to fulfill its commitments and pave the way for the delivery of the third IRISL-ordered ship in the upcoming weeks.