TEHRAN – Iran is one of the 30 active members of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) Council that decides on the actions to be taken by the organization and approves its work program, an official with the Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) said.

Speaking on the occasion of World Hydrography Day, Nader Pasandeh, PMO’s director-general for maritime safety and protection said: “Due to its access to the Caspian Sea in the north and the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman in the south of the country, Iran has 5,790 kilometers of coastline, about 3,000 kilometers of which is accessible for maritime trade and a large part of the country’s international trade is done through ports.”

According to the official, most of the country’s maritime trade is carried out through the southern ports and maritime transportation to the Persian Gulf nations, as well as countries in the Indian Ocean and the Far East account for a big share of the country’s trade exchanges.

Pasandeh noted that in recent years, maritime transportation between Iran and Europe has also been increasing and Iran has been able to have direct exchange of goods with European countries by accessing international waters.

“Undoubtedly, one of the necessities of safe maritime transportation is having access to up-to-date maps of known sea routes and waterways, which is provided by the collection of marine data, using hydrography,” he said.

“With hydrography, navigation is done safely in oceans and sea waterways and it can also be used to survey and determine navigable areas,” he added.

According to Pasandeh, in addition to promoting maritime safety, the hydrographic industry engages in other marine activities, including the exploitation of marine resources such as aquatic and mineral resources, the management and protection of the marine environment, maritime demarcation, defense and maritime security, and accident prevention.

The International Hydrographic Organization is an intergovernmental organization representing hydrography. In January 2021 the IHO comprised 94 member states. A principal aim of the IHO is to ensure that the world's seas, oceans and navigable waters are properly surveyed and charted.

EF/MA