The Bulk and General Cargo Carriage Company, a subsidiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, has launched a new freight service between the ports of Khorramshahr and Sohar.

Oman’s ambassador to Iran, Saud bin Ahmad Khalid al-Barwani, said the new shipping route would boost trade between the two countries and told reporters at the announcement ceremony that Oman was interested in setting up regular shipping services between other Iranian ports.

“Oman is willing to start more shipping lines with other Iranian ports, and a joint airline between the two sides is also on the agenda,” he added.

Mohsen Zarrabi, head of Iran-Oman Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mining and Agriculture, added that Iran-Oman trade was seeing rapid growth.

“The trade volume with Oman was US $148 million in 2013, but it reached US $540 million last year and is expected to reach US $5 billion in the next four years,” he said.

Mohsen Zarrabi described the establishment of new shipping routes between the two countries as one of the most important infrastructures to increase trade volumes. "Fortunately, the Khorramshahr-Sohar shipping line has been built by two private companies in Iran, and now the registration of companies, obtaining visas and staying in Oman is easier than the past,” he added.

“Following Khorramshahr-Sohar shipping line, Chabahar-Sohar as well as Bushehr-Sohar shipping lines are also on the agenda of Iran-Oman Chamber,” Zarrabi added.

According to Gholamreza Shariati, the provincial governor of Khuzestan (where Khorramshahr Port is located), shipping routes from the Iranian port to Qatar and Kuwait will be launched soon to improve the export infrastructures of the southern province.

Abbas Abdolkhani, Iran’s commercial attaché to Oman, said Iran exported close to 1.3 million tons of goods worth US $374 million to Oman during the eight months to Nov. 21.

The main exported products include iron and steel, tar, copper cathode, petrochemicals, foodstuff, fruit and vegetable and construction material.