According to Total News, Hojatollah Abdolmaleki stated at the opening ceremony of the 4th Conference on Iran’s Sea-based Economy, North-South Corridor which was held at the Center of International Broadcasting Conferences, our capacities in the field of maritime transport for countries that are in are located north of us, it is considered a very important capacity that provides us with a very high added value.
The Secretary of the Supreme Council of Free Commercial Industrial and Special Economic Zones, stating that our speed in building the North-South Corridor is slow, which should be increased, added, the authorities of the 13th government paid special attention to the issue of the North-South Corridor.
Stating that we have 48 active free and special economic zones, most of them are located in the borders, he said, the country’s free and special economic zones also play a small role in the north-south corridor.
Abdol Maleki stated, Chabahar Free Zone in the south of the country is the most strategic free zone in the country, Shahid Rajaei Special Economic Zone also plays a very important role in the maritime transportation of the country.
The Secretary of the Supreme Council of Industrial and Special Economic Free Zones, pointing out that we are setting up the Bushehr Free Zone and Bushehr Port, said, in the Persian Gulf, we have Kish and Qeshm Free Zones, where Kish has more of a tourism function.
He stated that about 40 million tons will be added to the country’s port capacity in Qeshm in the coming years, and noted that due to the high speed of water flow in the ports of Qeshm region, automatic dredging is done naturally in this region and it is an excellent area for establishing ports, that’s why we have the port development program in Qeshm.
Abdol Maleki said, the Persian Gulf bridge is also very important for Qeshm, this bridge connects Qeshm Island to the mainland and makes truck and rail traffic possible. In this way, Qeshm Island helps Shahid Rajaei Port and greatly increases the capacity of transporting goods.
The Secretary of the Supreme Council of Free Commercial Industrial and Special Economic Zones stated that all the studies of the Persian Gulf bridge have been done and we are looking to secure its financial resources and added, a Part of the financial resources will be provided by Qeshm Free Zone, part of it will be provided through the budget bill according to the president’s order, and part will be provided through oil clearing.
Stating that we have had negotiations with Chinese contractors and we are trying to put the Persian Gulf bridge into operation within the next three years, he said, in a conversation with the first vice president, we proposed the Persian Gulf bridge as a credit line project between Iran and China and it should be taken that he announced that this issue can be investigated.
Stating that the connection of the Caspian rail port in Anzali Free Zone to the rail network is also a special project, Abdol Maleki said, our colleagues have completed the part of this rail line which is in the Anzali Free Zone, and within the next three days we will announce that the work of the Rasht-Caspian rail connection section within the Caspian area has been completed.
The Secretary of the Supreme Council of Free Commercial Industrial and Special Economic Zones stated, Chabahar-Kish railway gap is also in Chabahar area, with the help of colleagues in the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, that part of the railway remains until Chabahar is completed, and Chabahar port has an extraordinary capacity which is added to the north-south corridor area.
He stated that the presence of most of the economic zones in the borders of the country has made us the most important demander for the completion of the corridors, he emphasized, we are trying to complete the infrastructure that is within the legal limits of the country and with the cooperation of other departments, let’s put the infrastructures between the regions into operation.
Abdol Maleki reminded, North-South corridor is important for the development of production sectors inside the country, with the completion of the North-South rail corridor, it will be possible to develop transportation inside the country to create more added value for our own industries, and this is also an important issue.