The government of Russia’s Astrakhan region and Iran’s Mostazafan Foundation have signed an agreement to establish a shipping company to develop the North-South international transport corridor, regional government deputy chairman Denis Afanassiev said.

“The management of the Mostazafan Foundation, one of the largest Iranian funds, which includes, among others, shipping companies, visited us. An agreement has been signed on the establishment of a joint shipping company,” Afanasyev said on Wednesday during a meeting of the Federation Council on the development of international transport corridors.

He said the port of Astrakhan is experiencing a significant increase in cargo traffic, which is expected to increase by a third by the end of August.

Belarus has confirmed its willingness to ship goods through Astrakhan ports, Afanasyev said.

“Approval is pending with the Ministry of Transport of Russia on the volumes [that will go] specifically in the direction of Astrakhan. We are talking about at least 1 million tons coming from Belarus in the near future. We can double the figure for this route if we have an agreement on reductions for rail transit,” Afanasyev said.

He said Astrakhan Governor Igor Babushkin planned to negotiate discounts with the Russian Railways Directorate (RZD).
Source: Interfax