MSC Tests Iranian Waters
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Friday, January 1, 2016
The Geneva-based Swiss company, Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (MSC), which is the world’s second-largest shipping line in terms of container vessel capacity, has returned to Iran more than six years after it docked at an Iranian port the last time.
According to Tasnim news agency, the Swiss ship MSC Domitille arrived at the second terminal of largest Iranian port Shahid Rajaee on Thursday. This follows the implementation of a recent nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, which will terminate all anti-Iran sanctions.
Ebrahim Eidani, the director-general of Ports and Maritime Organization of Hormozgan province, said the ship was the first one belonging to the Swiss company docking in Iran after six years.
MSC Domitille with a capacity of 9400 TEU had left the Chinese port of Shanghai with 1162 TEU of cargo before arriving at Shahid Rajaee Port, he noted. From now on MSC ships are scheduled to dock at the Iranian southern port every week.
The last MSC ship that berthed in Iran was MSC Beatrice with a capacity of 14000 TEU, which arrived at Shahid Rajaee Port in 2009.