The first transit train from Russia, heading for India along the North-South corridor, arrived in Iran on Tuesday through the Sarakhs crossing at the border with Turkmenistan.
The pilot train consisting of 40 forty-foot containers loaded with building materials will run 8,000 km and reach the Indian port of Nhava Sheva via Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and India.
According to Iranian mass media, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, ministers of transport, oil, industry and agriculture, as well as Vice President for science and technology met the train on the territory of Iran.
Addressing at the welcome ceremony, Mokhber stressed the determination of the Iranian government to expand trade with neighboring countries, especially in the transit sector. He said the transit capacity of the country has increased to 20 million tons, and with planning and taking appropriate measures, it is possible to achieve the transit of 300 million tons of commodities per year.
The transit train of the Russian Railways left the Chekhov station near Moscow on 6 July 2022 and has already covered a distance of 3,800 kilometers through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
On the territory of Iran, the cargo will be delivered to the port of Bandar Abbas in the south of the country along a 1,600 km rail line and onwards the cargo will be delivered by sea to the Indian port of Nhava Sheva.
Earlier this week, the shipping company of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRISL) announced the allocation of 300 containers for cargo transportation between Russia and India. With the growing demand for transportation, an increase in the number of containers is also possible. ///nCa, 13 July 2022