Loading of 240 Super Tankers from Kharg Port After Nuclear Agreement

The Director General of Ports and Maritime Affairs of Bushehr Province stated that for the first time after the JCPOA, 240 super tankers have been loaded from Kharg Port. Typically, each super tanker has a loading capacity of 2 million barrels of oil. According to the official website of the Ports and Maritime Affairs of Bushehr Province, Mohammad Mahdi Benchari mentioned on Sunday, July 31, that in the first four months of this year, 35.8 million tons of goods were unloaded and loaded at Kharg Port, which is an increase of over 60% compared to the same period last year. Kharg Port is Iran's most important oil port, where other goods and petroleum products are also loaded and unloaded. Last month, Bloomberg reported that modernization and repair operations at Kharg Port had been completed, and currently, 9 tankers can simultaneously load at this port, with the oil storage capacity of the port's facilities reaching 30 million barrels. However, the Director General of Ports and Maritime Affairs of Bushehr stated that the 'T' or eastern dock can accommodate 8 ships for loading simultaneously, while the 'Azarpad' or western dock of Kharg can accommodate 4 ships for loading crude oil at the same time. He also noted that for the first time since the JCPOA, tankers flying flags from various countries, including France, Spain, Greece, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy, and South Korea, have entered Kharg Port and departed for their intended destinations after loading. In the first four months of this year, 925 ships with a capacity of over 1,000 tons and under 1,000 tons docked for export. Benchari stated that 295 ships with a capacity of over 1,000 tons docked at Kharg, of which 240 were super tankers that were operating in Kharg for the first time since the JCPOA. Following the lifting of sanctions against Iran in January of this year, Iran's oil production and exports have increased. In this context, Reuters reported on Friday, August 8, that Iran's oil production this month reached 3 million and 620 thousand barrels, which shows an increase of 820 thousand barrels per day compared to Iran's average production last year. Iran's oil exports to its four Asian customers also increased by more than 47% last month, reaching 1 million and 720 thousand barrels per day. Besides Asia, Iran also exports oil to Turkey and Europe.