Chabahar, Afghanistan’s Economic Gateway To The Ocean
KABUL: (MEP) Chabahar is one of the southeastern city of Sistan and Baluchestan provinces of Iran and is the only ocean port of the country, which is located in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean. Its marina has the ability of mooring ocean-going vessels as well as being a ‘free trade zone’ in Iran.
KABUL: (MEP) Chabahar is one of the southeastern city of Sistan and Baluchestan provinces of Iran and is the only ocean port of the country, which is located in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean. Its marina has the ability of mooring ocean-going vessels as well as being a ‘free trade zone’ in Iran.
Chabahar port due to the strategic location, the closest access to the landlocked countries of Central Asia (Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan) to open water is of great importance and it takes a lot of construction and investment; Including the construction of loading docks, increase the capacity of ocean-going ships, the construction of a railway to Central Asia and building of International Airport. The port is one of the most important north-south trade corridor crossroads of the world.
Chabahar in addition to the business location, consists plenty of historical and natural assets. The climate of the city and its surrounding has always been evergreen and temperate, therefore it’s called Chabahar; meaning “immortal and spring”.
‘Economic and commercial’
According to UN researchers’ projections, in the field of international transport, about half of the world transportation between the Far East with the rest of the world is done. From all, 3 international transport corridor that UN experts would have predicted, 2 corridor passes through Iran and Chabahar will be the southernmost east-west corridor in the world.
The lobby will began from “Gates of silk” in China and the heart of the country’s economy will feed Canton province and will join to the territory of Southeast Asia and after going through the route, will enter India and covers the most important cities of the region such as Kolkata, Nakpur, Jaipur, Haserabad, Karachi and Bin-Qasim, connects to Chabahar.
Chabahar is the easiest and most strategic port access to the sea for six landlocked countries in Central Asia.
Chabahar port due to strategic location close to the land and sea, has great importance across borders with the Indian Ocean in the field of trade, economy, tourism, transit of goods and passengers for world’s investors, especially Afghanistan and Pakistan.
‘Economic importance for Afghanistan’
Chabahar port has good benefits and discounts for warehousing, port duties, freight, loaded and unloaded import and export containers.
With the completion of the port development project, triggering of passenger shipping line between Chabahar and Karachi, international Airport construction, petrochemical projects, steel, mining, transit, export and imports of goods, construction of railway and gas development in Chabahar port are guaranteed.
Afghanistan is a totally imported and landlocked country and commercial property using the waterway and sea transport can reduce the cost of transferring property and increase investment in the country.
Therefore, due to the proximity of Chabahar with Afghanistan and its connection point to the high seas and low tariff costs of loading, storage, import and export goods of interest to the authorities, domestic and foreign businessmen is set.
On the other hand, the port can provide the possibility of transferring goods to Central Asia due to its good weather throughout the year.
In addition, a major highway connects Kandahar-Herat into Chabahar, two railway projects are also underway, which is the first railway to the port, that the Indians are responsible for making it, will connect Chabahar to Hajigak region. Iran is building its second line, connecting the city of Herat to Iran’s Mashhad and from there to Turkey will continue.
Yet, given that half of the oil needed in the country comes from Iran and the current transmission, does not cost and by using the Chabahar railway can be more important for qualification economy leading to the ocean.
Darkening of Kabul ties with Islamabad should also be noted that this darkening has effected on transferring of commercial property in Afghanistan like before, as Pakistan has ‘lower cost’ for the transfer of commercial property currently; therefore, by using Chabahar, dependence on Pakistan’s path will be extinct and there will be less impact.
Meanwhile, the use of Chabahar port will also expand trade relations between India and Afghanistan and the country will soon make a use of the port in business issues with Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is yet threatens by insecurity and unreliable in transit routes and the trade of the country is facing serious challenges, however, Afghanistan has signed Trade and Transit cooperation agreements with Pakistan which the transit problems must be solved; unfortunately, it has not been treated the way it’s supposed to.
More facilities are expected to take place in Afghanistan businesses as well as joining more Afghan economy with global markets to other countries through the ocean, with the three-day visit of Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in Iran and the visiting of the port.
