Mahmoud Ommati, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Khorasan International Transport Companies Association, told IRNA on Friday that the Suez Canal has been a long-term corridor for transiting commodities as well as energy between Asia and Europe, but the one-week blockage of the Canal last month by a giant 250,000-ton container ship seems to be a sign that the global trade needs to find substitute routes.
Ommati underlined that all countries are seeking ways to transfer energy, especially oil, from the Middle East region to Europe faster, cheaper and easier.
Iran had been a main route between other Asian countries to Europe, he said, adding that the country is also on the verge of joining the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which includes Armenia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan; so, such an accession will flourish the north-south corridor.
According to the official, the establishment of the north-south corridor, which was agreed by Russia, India and Iran in 2000, seems to be another reason that the Islamic country can play a key role as an appropriate alternative to the Suez Canal.
Following the equipment of ocean port of Chabahar in southern Iran by India, the Indians can transit their goods through the Iranian port to Russia and the Russians can transfer several million tons of their own shipments via Iran to other nations, he added.
The link between Iranian ports in Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman and Caspian Sea to Russian ports in Saint Petersburg and northern Europe can become true by transport infrastructure of Iran, which is very interesting for energy dealers as well as importing and exporting states, he noted.
The Suez Canal became operational around 150 years ago and turned into one of the most important and most busy waterways for ships and containers. The Canal has reduced shipping voyage times between Asia and Europe nearly 15 days.
1424
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