Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) is planning to launch a new service connecting the French port of Le Havre with Iranian, Middle East and Asian ports.
Prior to the international embargo and sanctions, Iranian container ships called at Le Havre every week between 2006 and 2009 linking the main Iranian ports, seatrade-maritime.com reported.
The service will begin in February and will be operated by HDASCO Line (Hafez Darya Arya Shipping Company), also named HDS lines, which is a container carrier under the IRISL Group.
The new service times are: 19 days between Le Havre and Bandar Abbas for example. It will call at the following ports: Bandar Abbas, Asaluyeh, Bandar Imam Khomeini, Busher and Khorramshahr in Iran and the port of Um Qasr in Iraq.
The service will also call at the ports of Malta, Khor Fakkam, Jebel Ali, Xingang, Busan, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian and Port Kelang.
"This is a great opportunity offered to the French importers and exporters who wish to develop trade with Iran," said Jean-Marc Peltier, liner department manager.
"This country, which has around 80 million inhabitants, is a high-potential market, particularly in the chemistry, agro-food (flour, milk) cosmetics, electrical appliances, retail and of course automotive trade as well as oil and gas industry.
"While world trade with traditional Asian partners is slowing down, promising perspectives with the Iranian market are most welcome."
Le Havre calls are every Tuesday at the Terminal de France and handled by the Générale de Manutention Portuaire.
