Asia- Europe Container Line to be Launched

Deputy Director for technical and commercial affairs at IRISL announced that 49 ships will be replaced in response to fleet development exploiting the capacity of domestic and foreign shipbuilders by 2022.

News ID: 76772

Date: 16 October 2017 - 13:08

Referring to intricate situation of maritime transportation, Capt. Amir Saman Torabizadeh in an interview with MANA International Group said: during the first half of the current year, signs of recovery in the most important poles of global economy have been appeared due to an acceptable growth in GDP and trade development. Meanwhile, maritime transportation has experienced a better condition and the reflection of these signs has been clearly seen in indexes.

Considering IRISL performance in 2016, he added that a comparison among other activists of this field makes us declare that IRISL recorded a significant achievement in its performance.

Following the loss in most container shipping companies last year, He further added that IRISL could record an acceptable profit during the same period particularly in bulk and general cargo transportation section. Meanwhile, it should be noted that a comparison between IRISL and international circumstances reveals that IRISL prevented loss and at the same time it gained a worthy profit.

Referring to no intervene in appointing rates in international markets by IRISL and competitive circumstances, Deputy Director for technical and commercial affairs said: to achieve profit and prevent loss, we have had an optimum management in costs. In this regard and with the purpose of decreasing costs more than ever and optimum management of transportation, we are installing innovative smart technologies onboard.

Iran's crisis exist of maritime transportation was another positive points in IRISL's work process. In this line, Capt. Torabizadeh further added said: thanks to the achievements of JCPOA, IRISL entered international markets and could travel to locations which were inhibited during the sanctions era. This fact was very impressive in gaining profit.

During the sanctions era IRISL made use of its owned ships as an important specialty of the company. Meanwhile, IRISL hadn’t have any charter ships and this paved the way for the company not to encounter with the difficulties that other shipping companies could face in the same situation. In addition, extension of international cooperation and establishing regional companies in different locations could assist IRISL to achieve desirable conditions.

Referring to the entrance of 17 international lines in Iran's water and ports and requisition of more than half of the container market after the implementation of JCPOA, he added that before JCPOA, IRISL transported approximately 85% of the countries cargos. Meanwhile, there are many competitors today in the market and to fill this gap IRISL has to increase ton mile particularly in bulk division and international market.

Capt. Torabizadeh announced that IRISL is the same as other competitors in the country's ports and added that the company does not have any special facilities, such as subsidized fuel or discounted ports, and in this regard it should be acknowledge that IRISL in its territorial waters like other companies are competing, but with all these conditions, a satisfactory growth has been seen in the bulk and general cargo sectors in 2016.

He pointed out the arrival of new ships in IRISL's fleet in the first quarter of 2018 and said: Considering the new technologies used in these ships, especially in the fuel sector, there will be good conditions regarding the capacity of these ships.

He continued: At the present time and with the current conditions, we are rapidly recapturing our international market, and by creating various lines, we were able to close ourselves to the conditions governed before the sanctions.

Considering the development-oriented projects of IRISL, he continued: in the near future Asia-Europe and Europe-Asia Container Line will be launched.

The Deputy Director for technical and commercial affairs at IRISL pointed to a five-year plan of developing the fleet including the mobilizing of the fleet and said: 49 ships will be replaced in response to fleet development exploiting the capacity of domestic and foreign shipbuilders by 2022. At the same time and with getting permission from the board of directors as well as the approval of the General Meeting of Shareholders, credit lines have been opened in countries such as China and South Korea which would assist us to utilize the created capacities.

According to him, a part of activities' expansion in the development plan of the company focused on the development of the offshore section. For the implementation of these programs, we need to increase the capital, which must be approved by General Meeting of Shareholders.

Capt. Torabizadeh referred to the construction of 200 wagons and said that the arrival of these wagons in the multimodal transportation sector will also create a significant development.

At the end, the Deputy Director for technical and commercial affairs at IRISL referred to an optimistic future in maritime transportation and said: "In the logistics services sector, we will have 100% increases in activities."