With the deployment of a buoy along the eastern wall of the access channel to the Port of Amirabad, a major step was taken towards minimizing risks and promoting safety for ship pilotage operations in that Iranian port.
According to a report by Amirabad Port Public Relations Office, the Port and Maritime Director of Amirabad Port Special Economic Zone (SEZ) announced the above news, and added that ensuring safety of navigation in waterways, and taking the required measures to organize and regulate maritime traffic in the area was among the long-term policies of the Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) in for maritime transport.
Mr. Ali Khedmatgozar further elaborated that considering the above mentioned issue and the high degree of sedimentation in the access channel to Amirabad Port, the relevant authorities of that port had employed up-to-date navigation equipment in accordance with the latest standards of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), in order to guarantee an utmost level of safety in the waterways for the operation of commercial vessels, and had thus proceeded to deploy a buoy along the eastern wall of the access channel to Amirabad Port.
Stating the fact that the above mentioned 3.5-ton buoy was manufactured by Iranian industries, PMO's highest-ranking executive in Amirabad Port explained about the capabilities of that buoy for guiding ships at the time of their entry into the port, and highlighted the significant role it was expected to play in preventing incidents for vessels, specially grounding on the eastern side of the channel.
It must be mentioned that the regulations related to aids to navigation have been developed by IALA, approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the States that have ratified the maritime international conventions are obliged to comply with their requirements.