Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 24 / Trend F.Milad/
The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) plans to increase the number of its ships to 170, totally with the capacity of 6 million tons, in the next fiscal year, the IRISL's managing director said.
Mohammad-Hossein Dajmar told the Mehr news agency that according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Iran holds a 1.17 percent share of the total shipping capacity in the world, placing the country in the 19th position in this regard. Iran's shipping line has currently 165 ships with the capacity of over 1,000 GT and 13 million tons.
Although it has been predicted that the global maritime trade will rise by six percent to 8.8 billion tons in 2011, but considering the economic crisis in U.S. and Europe attaining the goal seems to be difficult, he said.
The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on IRISL for what it says is the shipping line's aiding of the Iranian nuclear program.