TEHRAN, Iran, Dec. 15
Trend:
Managing Director of Caspian Shipping Company announced the opening of refrigerated container transportation services from Astara port to Russia.
"Today on December 15, the refrigerated container transportation service to Russia from the port of Astara will be inaugurated," Davood Tafti told Trend.
"It has been more than three months now that a similar shipping service has been launched with Kazakhstan," he said adding that Iran has sent more than 400 refrigerated containers to Kazakhstan from all Iranian ports.
"More than 200 refrigerated containers have been sent from Astara port to Aktau port," he added.
The Managing Director of Khazar Shipping Company went on to explain the reason for the delay in launching the same shipping line with Russia.
"The customers of this route have been using the road for years and changing the transportation system is a risky action for the customer. A businessman loads all their assets into a container and finds it hard to trust a new way to ship them. Now, the culture of using containers for export cargo, especially refrigerated containers, is being institutionalized," said Tafti.
Regarding Iran's capacity to supply more containers, Tafti said that "We supply as much as needed and when we can't, we use ventilated containers."
"The Company has also made a series of ventilated containers. These are for carrying fruits and nuts in the cold seasons," he said referring to the merits of ventilated containers.
He wen on today that because the number of cold months in the Caspian Sea is high, customers can use these ventilated containers in case of a shortage of refrigerated containers. Furthermore, the service of ventilated containers to Russia is also scheduled to be launched and opened in Astara.
Located by the Caspian Sea, Astara has sea, land, and railway border points with the Azerbaijan Republic. Even during the coronavirus outbreak, the port is considered one of the main points for Iran’s export and import.
Earlier in November, the head of Ports and Maritimes Department of Astara, said that the weight of exported and imported goods through Astara Port increased by 40 percent in the first eight months of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2020-November 20) compared to the same period of the previous year.
The Managing Director of Khazar Shipping Company said Astara Port, has become a new hub for container shipping in the region following the launch of new shipping services from this port.