Russia, Iran Stress Boosting Goods Transit Via Caspian Sea
TEHRAN – Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash in a meeting with the visiting Russian President’s Special Aide Igor Levitin has stressed the need to develop cooperation in air, sea, rail and road sectors and also take advantage of the transit capacity of the two countries via the Caspian Sea.
Bazrpash pointed out that the development of transport cooperation between the two countries will be in favor of the two sides.
Bazrpash pointed to Iran’s hosting of Russia’s first RO-RO cargo ship in Noshahr Port after 21 years and called these transits as a giant step in maritime trade between the two countries.
The contracts inked between Iran and Russia for building ships at the Caspian Sea are of paramount importance, he said, adding that the development of “multimodal transportation” with the arrival of Russia’s first transit cargo last year via the International North-South Corridor can be promising for strengthening the effective bilateral transport cooperation.
He went on to say that the expansion of maritime transit capacity through the Caspian Sea corridors including the West and East corridors of the Caspian Sea can be effective in reducing heavy land traffic in the Caucasus region.
The Russian president’s special aide, for his part, pointed to a visit by the Russian delegation to the Rasht-Astara Railway project and called for the development of the transport cooperation in all fields.