PMO MD Calls for Review of Investment Regulations to accelerate Port Investment Projects

Mohammad Shakibi Nasab, at the monthly meeting of the organization’s Board of Directors, emphasizing the effective role of the private sector in the development of port infrastructure and capacities, stated: “Maximizing the utilization of private sector investors’ capacity requires a change of approach and the adoption of a comprehensive, problem-oriented, and facilitative outlook on the process of attracting and guiding investment.”

Necessity of Strengthening Interaction with Investors

He added: “We must be alongside investors more than ever before, listen to their concerns and issues, and make decisions with greater speed, precision, and agility in resolving pending issues and projects.”

The Managing Director of the Ports and Maritime Organization, expressing appreciation for the former managers of the Economic Affairs and Regions Directorate and the teams that have strived over the past years in the path of developing port infrastructure, superstructures, and equipment, said: “What exists today in the country’s ports in the field of infrastructure and equipment is the result of the efforts and dedication of the managers and staff of this organization in various periods, and it is our duty, relying on this valuable legacy, to continue the path of development with strength and provide better conditions for the future.”

Pending Projects Must Be Resolved

Referring to the necessity of resolving investment projects, Shakibi Nasab clarified: “An investor who has brought their resources into the ports and whose project has remained in a pending state for a long period expects to receive a clear response and a definitive decision; because the continuation of this situation, in addition to eroding investor confidence, means that a portion of the capacities and opportunities created in the ports remains unused.”

The Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development continued: “In recent months, through the holding of specialized meetings and continuous follow-ups, a significant portion of investors’ issues and concerns has been resolved, and we expect this process to continue with the same approach of agility, facilitation, and speed in decision-making, so that investors can pursue their activities with greater confidence and peace of mind.”

Review of Regulations Using the Experience of Port Managers and Experts

The Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development emphasized the necessity of reviewing regulations, instructions, and criteria related to investment, saying: “The country’s current conditions require that existing regulations be reviewed with a precise, realistic, and needs-based outlook, and in this process, facilitation and agility should be seriously considered as a principle.”

Shakibi Nasab added: “In drafting and reviewing instructions and regulations, we must make greater use of collective wisdom, the field experience of managers, and the specialized knowledge of port experts, so that regulations are not drafted that, at the implementation stage, themselves become an obstacle to investment.”

Reducing Bureaucracy Without Compromising Precision in Investor Selection

Emphasizing the necessity of eliminating parallel activities and reducing bureaucracy in the investment attraction process, he stated: “The investment path should be made as short, transparent, and predictable as possible; however, facilitating the process should not mean reducing precision in investor selection, and it is necessary that the professional qualifications, technical capability, and financial capacity of applicants be evaluated with the required precision and sensitivity.”

The Managing Director of the Ports and Maritime Organization noted: “In examining and evaluating investment projects, a set of factors must be considered simultaneously, including the quality and efficiency of instructions, the manner of supervision, the accurate and correct identification of the investor, as well as their financial and technical capability, so that the grounds for problems in the execution, construction, and operation stages are minimized.”

Referring to the capacity and experience of the Ports and Maritime Organization’s Strategic Committee, Shakibi Nasab said: “The experience of this committee’s members in the continuous examination of investment issues and topics is a valuable asset for reforming processes, removing obstacles, and making more precise decisions, and this capacity should be utilized in reviewing regulations and facilitating the path of investors’ activities.”

He also, expressing appreciation for the former managers and staff of the investment field of the Ports and Maritime Organization, emphasized the necessity of continuing the path of port development with a more agile, facilitative, knowledge-based approach grounded in synergy with the expert body and port managers.