The port of Antwerp this week received its first vessel from Iranian shipping company Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) since the lifting of economic sanctions against the Middle Eastern country.
The honour fell to container carrier Azargoun, which moored at the Antwerp Gateway terminal in the Deurganck dock, with representatives from the Port Authority, the ship’s agent PWL and the terminal operator boarding the vessel to welcome the ship’s master and crew.
IRISL will initially work with smaller units, with a departure frequency of once every two weeks. In the longer term, it aims to operate a weekly service, with units ranging from 5,125 to 6,572 TEU.
Until 2010, Antwerp was the main European port destination for Iranian cargo, and the Port Authority is now keen to restore economic relations.
A delegation from the port of Antwerp visited Iran last October, while the Port Authority invited the Iranian ambassador to Belgium to pay a visit to the port.
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