The main ports are B.Abbas and B.Imam Khomeini with 62 jetties suitable to accommodate from small short-sea landing crafts & barges to 60000 tons GRT ocean going general cargo, container, Ro-Ro and bulk carriers as well as oil derivatives product tankers, each having its purpose built - fully equipped harbors. Both ports are equipped with modern shore to sea and terminal lifting equipment, vast open areas, hangars & covered warehouses, fire extinguishing dept, security cameras, strict security mechanism, computerized storage & warehousing system. Both ports benefit from specialized terminals for cotton, containers, scrap iron, hazardous goods, minerals, iron & steel, vegetable oil, cold stores, etc.
Useful link : www.ir-pso.com
All goods are exempted from storage charges for the first 6 days, thereafter a storage fee is charged according to ports tariff.
Most jetties are equipped with shore cranes. Stevedoring is done by specialized stevedoring Cos. Lo/Lo paces & norms have to be agreed upon with contractors.
Both Shahid Rajaei port complex (B.Abbas new jetties) and B.I. Khomeini have rail sidings, connecting these ports to national railways network.
Private agreements between shipping lines and shippers reflected on bills of lading as rental fee clause, are considered valid. If no clause is apposed on B/L then local rules will apply. Local rules provide for 15 days free time.
Meanwhile the Iranian freight forwarders base their quotations on " no-clause" alternative as their quotation for transit usually includes container rental, storage, transit bond, lift on/lift off & carriage.
There are over 200 privately owned shipping agents, marine services, ship chandlers, brokers based in Iran. The list of such companies can be sought from Iran Shipping Association.
Port Anzali, port Nowshahr, port Neka and Port Amirabad are the four active northern ports with regular liner & tramp sailing to other Caspian sea littoral states & via Volgo-Don channel to North Europe, and Mediterranean basin. While Neka is the only port with internal rail linkage, Amirabad new port complex is the fourth port under completion with rail linkage. A fifth port is also under construction at Fereydoun kenar. Over 100 short sea vessels are plying in Caspian sea composed of dry bulk, break-bulk, semi-container, ro-ro & liquid bulk tonnage.
SHIPPING COS & OTHER SHIPOWNERS
Apart from IRISL (by far biggest shipowner in Middle East with over
2'500'000 tons capacity & NITC (tanker owner) with another 2'750'000
tons Iran enjoys many small & medium size public & private shipowners
like Irano-Hind shipping, Bonyad shipping, Valfajr 8, etc. Besides most
world class shipping lines from Europe, Japan, Far East, Africa &
America are calling Iranian southern ports.
Useful link: www.irisl.net
Insurance industry is nationalized in Iran. Central insurance Co. is the regulatory & supervisory body with re-insurance give & take mechanism, both locally & internationally. Four national insurance Cos. are active under C.I.C. control, London institute rules & universally recognized clauses. Various types of cargo insurance, hull insurance, liability insurance, export guarantee and life insurance are the regular job of such Insurance Cos. Meanwhile insurance policies issued by foreign insurance Cos. and brokers are accepted in Iran under pre-advice & verification by port authorities. Reputed inspection & classification societies like, L.R.S., G.L., S.G.S., B.V., N.V., N.K.K. are licensed by Central Bank of Iran for full activity in Iran. In addition some Iranian Cos. are also active in this field : I.G.S., I.CS., I.E.I., etc.,
· Ship manifest on arrival,
· Original ocean B/L indicating final destination and name of forwarding Co. who takes care of transit,
· Copy of packing list for non homogenous cargo,
· Copy of commercial invoice ,
· Copy of hygienic/phyto-sanitary or health certificate in case of foodstuff & plants,
· Original cargo insurance policy.