Tehran-headquartered Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL) is looking to expand its reach through slot-sharing agreements with other lines and investments in foreign container terminals. According to Containerisation International (CI On Line, March 22, 2009) the company recently signed agreements with China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) for capacity on the Mediterranean/Asia trade, and Melfi Marinae SA on the Mediterranean-Caribbean Basin trade. Captain A. Ezzati, IRISL’s General Manager for Strategic Planning and International Affairs, noted said the line is “not ruling out” the prospect of investing in terminal facilities in the Med basin, including Tunisia, Algeria and Libya, in anticipation of increased relay cargo from the Far East and Middle East. Malta, Barcelona and Valencia are currently key relay point for cargo going to/from Iran to the Carribean and Central America.
In related news, IRISL is upgrading its fleet to include four six 5000 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) and four 5150 TEU container ships, nine 22,000 dwt multipurpose heavy lift vessels and ten open hatch handy-sized bulkers scheduled for delivery. IRISL is one of the largest commercial companies in the Middle East, and ranks 25th globally (as of 2004). The company, which employs some 7,000 staff and carries (2004) 22 million tons per year, controls approximately 40% of the domestic Iranian container trade. The U.S. Treasury Department added IRISL to OFAC’s Specially Designated National (SDN) list in September of 2008, thereby freezing any U.S. assets and prohibiting transactions with U.S. parties. IRISL’s domestic representative offices include Bandar Abbas, Bandar Imam Khomeini and Chabahar.
0 Response to “IRISL Looks to Expand Reach, May Invest in North Africa Terminals”