Iran, Saudi Arabia to launch direct shipping line

Iran and Saudi Arabia plan to set up a direct shipping line between Kangan, in southern Iranian province of Bushehr, and Dammam, in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, in a bid to boost trade between the two countries.

Governor of Bushehr Ahmad Mohammadizadeh said late on Saturday that the launch of the shipping line between Iran and Saudi Arabia was decided in a recent visit by Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari to the province as part of efforts to increase Iran's trade volume with countries in the Persian Gulf. 

Mohammadizadeh also said that development projects introduced in Kangan are close to be finished, adding that large vessels can dock in the port in the near future. 

Local officials give importance to the development of the maritime economy in Kangan, he said, adding that authorities plan to set up an industrial zone for knowledge-based companies in the region to serve the needs of the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries that exist in the port.