Tehran, March 9, 2024 (MRUD NEWS)—Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Mehrdad Bazrpash, set three main priorities of Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) for 2024. Based on these missions, three strategies of "sea-based economy", "transit", and "logistics management" will be primarily followed up by the PMO. 

With these strategies, the commercial ports will be more effective, according to the minister. 

Upon the notification of the President, the PMO is responsible for coordination of related organizations in ports. So, the integrated decision-making processes and management procedures need to be the priority of the PMO, Bazrpash stated. 

The PMO should focus on attracting investments to ports, especially small ports, through offering incentive packages, Bazpash said. 

According to the President's emphasis, one of the priority programs of the Ports and Maritime Organization in 2024 should be development and organization of local wharves and generating employment in the southern coasts of Iran, Minister of Roads and Urban Development added. 

Following plans for development of the Makran Coast and development of a sustainable sea-based economy, Iran is to develop 27 new coastal settlements, so the strategy of organizing local wharves and small ports should be based on the development plan of these 27 coastal settlements. 

Referring to people's interests in marine tourism and increase of sea trips in the coasts and islands of the south of Iran, Bazerpash emphasized that the renovation of passenger vessels and marine tourism needs a more suitable condition to attract investors.

In the end, the Minister of Roads and Urban Development stated that the country's commercial ports have a central and main role in the "Iran Rah" Initiative and the North-South corridors.

Bazrpash also informed that the railway connection of the strategic port of Chabahar to Iran's national railway network will be realized in 2024.