Analysis of Iran’s Maritime transport stance within Iran’s economy and world stage

This paper examines Iran’s maritime shipping industry’s stance globally, as well as its potential role in transforming the Iranian economy into a ‘resistive economy’. The maritime industry has the potential to realise some of the provisions of a resistive economy, specifically by playing a crucial role in increasing competitiveness globally, diversifying commercial partners _ especially by securing new import bases, forming new markets, developing strategic partnerships, reducing the vulnerability of the revenues from oil and gas exports by finding new strategic customers, increasing the export of gas, increasing the export of petrochemicals and increasing the export of oil products. A review of the maritime industry in Iran indicates that it has one of the biggest fleets in the Persian Gulf; yet, in terms of maritime connections indexes, despite the increase in recent years, it occupies a place below Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE (occupying the 40th place globally among countries with coastal borders). Input-outputs data from the Central Bank in 1378, 1383 and 1389 indicate that prior and subsequent linkages, the diversity of subsequent linkages and the potential for employment in the industry have developed. Hence, indicating that the sector could play a progressive role in the process of uneven growth. The share of domestically produced maritime equipment (including various types of ships), from all maritime equipment used has increased twofold, indicating increasing self-reliance of production in the industry, thus, taking a step toward realising economic resilience in the sector.