Foreign Investors to Finance Marine Projects

The member of the board of Iran Association of Naval Architecture and Engineering reported that several foreign companies have expressed desire to finance the projects of making vessels and marine constructions in Iran and said: "Three marine supermarkets are set to be established in the south of Iran offering Iranian and foreign products with international standards."
"Iranian marine industries lack the necessary dynamism. Therefore, a holding is established comprising five companies from four industries to manufacture vessels and constructions with an eye on oversea markets," Said Amir Babayi, in a conference among the players in marine industries.
He stressed that manufacturers need to move from traditional to more knowledge-based approaches and said: "We need to utilize our full capacity for manufacturing vessel parts. To that end, vessel bodies should be manufactured in shipyards and parts in different cities and finally have it all together on the assembly line."
He spoke of the willingness of foreign investors to finance Iranian projects cooperatively and announced: "Sea stores (supermarkets) are set to establish in three southern locations of the country to supply necessary parts and equipments. The stores will offer customers a wide range of Iranian and foreign products of high quality and standard."
Ahmad Vahidi, former Iranian Defense Minister praised the country's marine infrastructure and potential and noted: "We need to increase the capacities of marine industries."
The head of Center for Strategic Research stressed on the importance of recognizing the role of marine industries in the Economy of Resistance and said: "We are in a geopolitical transition period at the moment and seas can play a decisive role in the Economy of Resistance."
Meysam Rezayi, the director of Meftah Co. also declared: "Priorities of production depend on setting the priorities of import and export as the country's boundary for production. Defining the priorities will be a huge step forward to achieve the 1404 vision and helps with the better allocation of human, financial, natural and physical resources and the access to resources enables decision-makers to seek more-long term plans."
Hasan-Reza Safari, the managing director of Iranian Classification Society was another figure who highlighted the lifting of sanctions as an excellent opportunity for sea transportation industry. Safari spoke of the responsibility of classification agencies for the implementation of international laws and said: "Classification agencies were banned from issuing transportation permit for Iranian vessels due to the sanctions, but we have established our branch offices in several countries including Belgium, Norway, Canada, Brazil, Kuwait and Oman as well as in Astrakhan and offer full international services to Iranian marine transportation companies."