Azernews.Az

Opening of the Astara commercial seaport in Iran's northern Gilan province, which is ready to be inaugurated, will increase by 2.5 million tons handling capacity of the country's ports, managing director of the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran, Ataollah Sadr, was quoted by Moj News Agency as saying.

The port has been built as a joint venture by the public and private sectors, Sadr said.

Iran has a total of 14 seaports, four of which, including the Astara port, are located on the shore of the Caspian Sea.

Some 250 billion rials (around $20.4 million) have so far been invested in the project, he said, adding that it aims to enhance commercial transactions with the other Caspian littoral states.

The Iranian shipping company and KAVEH company signed a 40-year contract in 2009 to build a new port on the Caspian Sea in the town of Astara bordering Azerbaijan. KAVEH leased the port of Astara for 40 years to turn the fishing port into a trade one.

Construction of the port is to be completed in five to six years. The Gilan province's shipping company has invested about $78 million in the project.

The Astara port will be commissioned within the "government week" in Iran, due August 23-28.

The "government week" has been marked in Iran every year, since 1981, when Iran's President Mohammad Ali Rajai, Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar and several other officials were assassinated in a bomb explosion in Tehran.