Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 26 / Trend A.Yusifzade /
The project to build a passenger terminal at the Enzeli port in Iran's Gilan province implemented by 60 percent, Gilan Province Port Management Head Farhad Montaser Kuhsari was quoted as saying by ISNA.
"Given that the Gilan province is a tourist place, passenger ships will arrive in the Enzeli port in the next year," Kuhsari said. The Iranian new year begins in March.
He said the Gilan ports increased the cargo handling by 4.2 percent and hit 4.7 million tons for seven months of this year. Number of cargo vessels increased by 8.2 percent, reaching 1,518 units.
The implementation of the plan for the development of the Enzeli port will take about 40 months.
"A 50-percent progress has been achieved during the half and a year and it is expected to build five berths, three of which are designed for bulk carriers, two - for bulk cargo, in accordance with the plan," Kuhsari said.
Earlier, the Iranian side made a proposal to restore the Enzeli-Baku marine passenger route. This passenger route operated for a long period of time, and was temporarily closed in 1998. The issue of restoration of the route was agreed between the government agencies of Iran and Azerbaijan.
The Iranian side has plans to continue to carry out transportations to Baku and other Iranian ports - Abad and Noushehr.
Today, Iran has passenger traffic with Azerbaijan, as well as Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan using ferries.