Strategic Planning for Port Development: Improvement of Container Transit from the Iranian Southern Ports Terminals

Abstract

The author attempts to highlight the significance of the Iranian southern ports development strategy planning, which allows for the maximum container transit with minimum resources such as service capacities, human resources, and financial potential in order to expand the Iranian container transit. It should be noted that the strategic objectives, the business strategy and its implementation can be arranged only after the port vision and mission obviously delineated. For the purpose of improving the outcome of the ports operational management, it is recommended to concentrate on new strategies such as exploit of transit corridors for development of the Iranian South Ports. The main part of this paper is dedicated to evaluating the role of container transit from the Iranian south ports terminals from various transport corridors in order to improve Maritime Transport in Iran. The importance of defining the existing and potential competitors at the Persian Gulf and making a comparison between their and our own strengths and weaknesses is of utmost importance. Sometimes, the real business opportunities and threats are placed beyond one's own line of industry and business. It is therefore necessary to make a careful analysis of the port environment. After the port competition and environment have been analyzed, it would be possible to initiate the building of the SWOT analysis for the Iranian Southern Container Terminals such as Khoramshahr, Imam Khomani, Busher, Bandar Abbas and Chabahar port, which have suitable strategic position as transit base in the region. The SWOT analysis method is therefore applied, aiming at defining the weaknesses and strengths of the economic subjects as well as opportunities and threats coming from the environment. The next segment of this paper is dedicated to consider the role of dry ports and the International North-South Transit Corridor for the purpose of improving the Iranian container trade.