The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) has launched a direct container shipping line from Shahid Beheshti Port in southeastern Chabahar to India’s Nhava Sheva Port, MANA reported.
As reported, the direct container line from Chabahar Port to Nhava Sheva, with a transit time of five days and a very competitive price, is unique in its kind and is expected to have a significant impact on the development of trade and strengthening the regional and extra-regional position of Chabahar port.
IRISL had previously launched similar container shipping lines from Shahid Beheshti Port of Chabahar to the main ports of China with competitive prices and a transit time of 12 days, which increased the container activity of Chabahar Port by five times.
Iran and India had previously launched shipping lines between Chabahar and the Indian ports of Mumbai, and Mundra.
The first shipping route between the two countries was put into operation in 2017 between Iran’s Chabahar port and Mumbai.
In January 2019, Iran and India inaugurated the second direct shipping route which passes through Mumbai, Mundra, Kandla, Chabahar, and finally Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.
India is using the mentioned shipping routes to transit goods to Afghanistan and Persian Gulf nations as well as the countries in Central Asia.
Through Chabahar port India can bypass Pakistan and transport goods to Afghanistan and Central Asia, while Afghanistan can get linked to India via sea.
A February report by India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry suggested that Iran and India exchanged as much as $2.5 billion worth of goods in 2022.
Bilateral trade between the two countries posted a 48% rise when compare to $1.69 billion of exchanges reported in 2021.