Press center

30.07.2024

A Delegation from Iran Explores the Potential of the Caspian Cluster Special Economic Zones

A delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran, headed by Seyed Mahdi Pakzat, Advisor to the Head of the Mostazafan Foundation and Chairman of the Board of the transport and logistics holding Paya Tarabar Sina, has visited the Astrakhan Region. The main purpose of the visit was to observe the production capacities and infrastructure of the special economic zones of the Caspian Cluster.

The Iranian party recognized the value of the territory development and the construction of new infrastructure in the Port SEZ, and also visited the berths, the temporary grain stores, and the checkpoint which will be launched soon.

It should be reminded that the tenants of the SEZ include two companies with a total declared investment of 28.4 billion rubles. PLC Caspiy LLC is implementing an infrastructure project on the construction and utilization of a new multi-purpose port and logistics complex. AgroTerminalCaspiy LLC is building a modern terminal for discharging, storing and loading of grain crops and vegetable oil. The terminal will be capable of receiving products transported by road and rail, as well as storing them appropriately and subsequently loading them to water transport.

The delegation members expressed their interest in further development of investment projects in the Port SEZ. SEZ Lotus JSC and the Mostazafan Foundation had earlier signed an agreement on mutual work in providing the cargo transit through Iran and in removing administrative barriers. In 2023, the mutual transport company was established to provide cargo transit by car through the territory of Iran. This will solve the problem of logistics in the land section of the International North-South Transport Corridor.

The representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran also visited the industrial production SEZ Lotus; they observed the production capacities of Lotos Shipyard, including the workshops where ships are being built for the use in the Caspian Sea, as well as attended the geosynthetics plant of Gexa-Lotos LLC. Furthermore, the delegation members observed the household chemicals plant of Rosa LLC, which was founded by a subsidiary of the major Iranian multipurpose holding Golrang. The Iranian party appreciated the advantages of establishing an enterprise in SEZ Lotus and revealed plans to work out the details of a possible implementation of investment projects in the economic zone.

The visit ended with a working meeting between Denis Afanasiev, Vice-Governor – Chairman of the Government of the Astrakhan Region, and members of the delegation, and a meeting in the management company of the Caspian Cluster of SEZs, where Alexander Kim, Director General of SEZ Lotus JSC, answered the questions that arose during the trip and spoke about the prospects for further cooperation.

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 General Information

The Mostazafan Foundation is the second-largest business commercial enterprise in Iran behind the National Iranian Oil Company and one of the largest holdings in the Middle East. It consists of more than 160 Iranian companies operating in industry, trade, finance, agriculture, logistics and other sectors.