Tehran, Iran, June 10
By Mehdi Sepahvand, Temkin Jafarov - Trend:
The Iranian Ports and Sailing Organization is giving credit loans to entities for buying watercraft.
The organization is offering low-price credit loans with no interest to cooperative and private companies active in maritime service sector as a move to renovate the passenger and tourist transport fleet, Jalil Eslami, deputy director of ports and special zones affairs of Iran's Ports and Sailing Organization told Trend June 10.
He hoped that the move would be a great help in renovating the country's maritime passenger fleet.
The official further explained that the organization pays up to 80 percent of the vessels' price and the other 20 percent has to be provided by the applicant.
The credit loan will go to the purchase and building of watercraft and their refund term is eight years.
Eslami pointed out that international sanctions have restricted none of the country's ports, but have targeted sailing and shipment companies.
He said that with recent political developments in Iran 's foreign relations companies that had left Iran under sanctions have held preliminary talks and are ready to get back to the Iranian ports.
In fact, right now six international shipping companies have started work at Iran 's southern ports, he added.
The shipping industry has a major part in Iran 's trade. Ninety percent of the country's import and exports are carried by sea. Iran is making new moves to launch regular shipping lines in the Caspian Sea as a means in particular to improve exports to Russia.
Edited by CN