First Iranian Ship Docks at Oman's Sohar Port
The first cargo ship delivering Iranian goods docked at the Omani port of Sohar, a few weeks after Tehran and Muscat opened a new shipping route.
The vessel, titled Genaveh 12, container with a capacity of 96 TEUs, is the first ship put into operation in the new Iran-Oman shipping line, which was opened some two weeks ago.
Iran and Oman have recently established a direct shipping line between the two countries to enhance maritime trade. The line will have two sailings per month.
According to officials, more vessels will join the line to increase the cycle of maritime transportation. Other ports in both the countries will also be linked in the near future.
The new line is an important addition as it broadens the connectivity of Sohar with the world and will offer even more choice for Omani importers and exporters, a press release said.
Sultan al Habsi, chairman of the board of Sohar Industrial Port Co (SIPC), the port authority; H E Said al Harthy, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications; Sohar Port and Freezone CEOs Andre Toet and Jamal Aziz; Albert Pang, CEO of Oman International Container Terminal LLC ( OICT ); as well as representatives of Evergreen and Simatech were at the quayside on Friday ahead of the arrival of the vessel in Sohar.
Abdolhossein Khedri, the chief executive officer, Khedri Jahan Darya Shipping AG, the private Iranian company involved in the scheme, had said earlier that three vessels, including two container ships and a bulk carrier, will start making trips every 15 days in the initial phase.
"The trips could be held on a weekly basis if Iranian businesses welcome this scheme," he said.
