By: Russia's pivot to Asia

Russian and Iranian maritime authorities have reached a specific agreement to establish a joint maritime consortium, paving the way for a new container shipping line in the Caspian Sea. The agreement was confirmed by Andrei Tarasenko, head of Russia's Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport (Rosmorrechflot).

The consortium will focus on developing shipping between the port of Makhachkala in Russia's Dagestan and Iranian ports on the Caspian Sea. Key objectives include launching a regular container line and aligning the different tariff policies of Russian and Iranian ports. The Makhachkala Commercial Sea Port and the Iranian shipping company IRISL are negotiating a joint venture to operate the container line.

According to Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali, the structure of the consortium has been agreed upon, with the official text slated for finalization by mid-December. The strategic goal is to broadly expand trade and multimodal transportation between the two nations. The new service, planned along routes connecting Russia to Iran, India, and China, is set to launch in 2026. This initiative occurs against a backdrop of growing bilateral trade, which is projected to reach approximately $5.3 billion in 2025.