Productive and Exportive Function of Special Port Economic Zones for Endogenous Regional Development (Case study: Special Economic Zone of Amirabad Port)

One of the ways to create regional development is to determine free and special economic zones. Planning in order to form regions with comparative advantages can lead to region self-production development. This study aims to determine the position and influence in Amirabad Port Special Economic Zone production and its influence as a third-generation port on regional development. This research is an applied research which uses the descriptive-analytical method. Development indicators have been determined using library sourcs, then, the six indicators were evaluated using interviews, observation, customs documents reviews and data, surveys, photographs, and researcher notes. The results show that most investments have moved towards imports-oriented (warehouses, reservoirs, and silos). Meanwhile, most employment in the manufacturing sectors like wood and construction materials industries, are export-oriented activities and include the lowest in terms of frequency. In order to leave the current situation and to boost production in special economic zones, strategies such as: attracting necessary investments in conversion and processing industries of horticultural and livestock products, creating supporting industrial clusters, developing conversion and complementary industries can be considered. Also strengthened maritime and trade diplomacy in order to expand Eurasian trade to extand as many industrial and agricultural units adjacent to the Special Zone as possible is considered. By prioritizing and strengthening the productive and export-oriented activities of the special economic zone of Amirabad port, endogenous and production-oriented development in the port area of the north of the country can lead to improvement.