Special Economic Zones

Hormozgan Province has five special economic zones, which include: Special Economic Zone of Persian Gulf Mining and Metal Industries, Special Economic Zone of Persian Gulf Shipbuilding, Special Economic Zone of Shahid Rajaee Port, Special Economic Zone of Parsian Energy Industries, Special Economic Zone of Lavan Oil, each of these zones possesses its own unique advantages within the region. Most of the province’s major industries are located in these zones, particularly in the Persian Gulf Special Economic Zone for Mining and Metal Industries. The special economic zones in the province operate under specific free and special zone regulations and enjoy exemptions concerning investment, the entry and exit of foreign nationals, taxation, and other areas.

A. The Special Economic Zone of Persian Gulf Shipbuilding

The Special Economic Zone of Persian Gulf Shipbuilding has been established in an area of 1,100 hectares, located 37 kilometers west of Bandar Abbas along the Persian Gulf coast. Leveraging its natural and geographical advantages—including a 380-hectare tranquil basin—and benefiting from the legal facilities granted specifically to special economic zones, this area has been developed to boost industrial and commercial activities in shipbuilding, offshore industries, marine structures, and related downstream sectors. The initiative aims not only to harness economic, social, regional, and national benefits but also to increase employment opportunities through the use of state-of-the-art technologies.

Geographically, the zone enjoys direct access to international waters via the Persian Gulf and reaches global markets through Bandar Abbas by land routes, railroads, and airways. Its proximity to Shahid Rajaee and Shahid Bahonar ports—through which the majority of the country’s imports and exports are channeled—renders it a strategic hub. Given that thousands of vessels transit the Persian Gulf annually, the zone is well positioned not only to support the construction of various types of ships but also to play a significant role in repairing and maintaining a diverse fleet of vessels

Advantages and facilities of the Special Economic Zone of Persian Gulf Shipbuilding

•  Possibility to use maritime, air, land, and rail routes and to utilize the country's transit highway via Bandar Abbas to all parts of the country and Central Asia
• Availability of appropriate economic facilities and infrastructures such as water, electricity, fixed and mobile telephony, and affordable lan
• Short air distance to the country's center and regular daily flights from Bandar Abbas to various domestic destinations
•  Low rates for all types of services, including warehousing, unloading and loading of miscellaneous goods, container handling, and the use of specialized regional equipment such as various types of cranes, tugboats, barges, and the possibility of using dedicated warehouses
• Availability of support facilities including affordable labor, skilled and semi-skilled workers, and the use of integrated lodging complexes
•  Presence of an on-site customs office in the region without the administrative formalities of other customs offices, and the region's proximity to the Qeshm and Kish Free Trade Zones as well as to other countries bordering the Persian Gulf and other special zones
•  Issuance of segregated warehouse receipts that are tradable and accepted by all national banks and domestic and foreign investors
•  Availability of regular shipping lines to countries bordering the Persian Gulf and to all parts of the world
•  Availability of suitable urban facilities and amenities at a half-hour distance from the area
•  Possibility to process goods in the special zone and create added value in it
• Possibility for transit and re-export of goods entering the zone, ensuring that goods are not stranded in the special zone.

B- The Special Economic Zone of Persian Gulf Mining and Metal Industries

The Special Economic Zone of Persian Gulf Mining and Metal Industries is located at kilometer 13 of the Shahid Rajaee Highway in the western part of Bandar Abbas. The zone was established on 14 January 1998 under the name “Special Economic Zone of Mines and Metals” based on a Cabinet of Ministers resolution. On 6 March 2005, it was renamed as the “Special Zone of Persian Gulf Mining and Metal Industries,” and then at the beginning of year 2009, with the addition of the word “Economic,” it was renamed as the “Special Economic Zone of Persian Gulf Mining and Metal Industries.”

This zone covers an approximate area of 5,000 hectares, divided geographically into four sites—southern, central, northern, and development—with 2,000 hectares already operational, where investor companies are implementing or operating their planned projects, and the remaining 3,000 hectares undergoing infrastructure preparation. The zone is bordered to the north by the Poladi Mountains, the Eighth Refineries, the Persian Gulf Star, and Hormuz; to the south by the docks for unloading and loading mineral and petroleum materials, the free waters, and the Persian Gulf; to the west by Bandar Shahid Rajaee; and to the east by the 1,200-megawatt Tavanir power plant, the city of Bandar Abbas, and related railway lines.

Creating the conditions to attract domestic and foreign investors and guiding them toward establishing industrial and mining units in the energy and mineral processing industries, as well as fostering economic development, increasing job opportunities, advancing modern production technologies and managerial skills, improving production quality, and enhancing export capacity to compete in global markets, is among the zone's set objectives.The company’s activities were realized with the operationalization of the southern site, the construction of administrative buildings, the fencing of the central site, the establishment of road networks and infrastructure, the construction of the Five-Star Persian Gulf Hotel, desalination plants, bridges along the Shahid Rajaee corridor, and railway projects, as well as by merging with Bandar Abbas Rolling Company (BARCO) and incorporating the unloading and loading docks for mineral and petroleum materials and the establishment of a customs office with the operationalization of the sites and currently, with the establishment of major industries such as steel, aluminum, and others, this zone has become a hub for the steel, aluminum, anode, mineral and petroleum unloading and loading, and electric power sectors.

Advantages and facilities of The Special Economic Zone of Persian Gulf Mining and Metal Industries

• Presence at the most strategic point in the world and easy access to international waters.
• Vast oil and gas energy resources including the Eighth Oil Refinery, the Persian Gulf Star and Hormuz with a capacity of one million barrels per day, and the Sarkhun, Qeshm, and Gavarzin gas refineries.
• Railway infrastructures: Possession of two nationwide railway lines with a dedicated shunting station.
• Air infrastructures: Easy access to Bandar Abbas International Airport
• Marine infrastructures: Presence of a mineral materials unloading and loading dock with a capacity of 12 million tons, and an oil terminal with a capacity of 15 million tons per year, expandable to 70 million tons, adjacent to Shahid Rajaee and Shahid Bahonar Ports.
•  Desalination plants with a production capacity of 85,000 cubic meters per day, extendable to 100,000 cubic meters per day.
• • Obtaining a government resolution for transferring gas from the Seventh Nationwide Pipeline, known as "Solh," to the Special Zone.
• • Proximity of Hormozgan Province to the country's most important iron ore mines (Chador Malo – Golgohar Sirjan – Central Iron Ore Mine) and easy access to other mineral mines in the country as raw materials for steel and aluminum production12
• Availability of access facilities to the country's largest port – Shahid Rajaee Port.
• Availability of bulk cargo docks with a capacity of 3,000 tons per hour for loading and 2,000 tons per hour for unloading ships.
• Availability of the 1,200-megawatt Bandar Abbas power plant and the existence of plans to construct new power plants within the special zone (Namagazi Power Plant).
• Access to the Jajarm-Bafq-Bandar Abbas railway for transporting materials
• Increasing the region's capacity through the approval of the gas transfer project from the South Pars area to Bandar Abbas, based on the Cabinet of Ministers' resolution.

C- Special Economic Zone of Shahid Rajaee Port

The Special Economic Zone of Shahid Rajaee Port is strategically located in the heart of Iran’s southern coastline in Hormozgan Province, boasting access to over 2,300 kilometers of maritime border. Situated adjacent to major industries in Hormozgan and other productive regions of the country, it benefits from robust transportation infrastructure—including international rail networks, air routes, and the historic Silk Road—which positions it as a vital nexus in global trade. The zone facilitates commerce with over 80 renowned ports worldwide via 35 top container shipping lines.

Covering an area of 2,400 hectares, the Shahid Rajaee Port Complex handles an annual cargo capacity of 100 million tons and is equipped with 40 dock posts. It features the country’s largest and most advanced container terminal, which is projected to reach a capacity of 6 million TEU containers per year once the second phase of development is completed. This extensive facility manages a wide array of cargo types, notably steel products, dry and liquid bulk commodities, and raw petroleum products.

As a gateway for both imports and exports—and a key driver of national economic activity—the Special Economic Zone has embarked on a strategic initiative to become more globally competitive. With a 20-year forward-looking vision, it has implemented measures to enhance efficiency, capacity, and infrastructure while encouraging significant private sector investment, having attracted over 23,000 billion Rials in capital.

These concerted efforts have already borne fruit. In 2011, Shahid Rajaee Port recorded a remarkable 46% growth among 3,500 major ports worldwide, surging from the 72nd to the 44th rank in global standings. The development plan, which includes the construction of new docks with a draft of approximately 17 meters capable of accommodating floating vessels of up to 150,000 tons, is a key element in this upward trajectory.

Furthermore, the annexation of an additional 2,400 hectares from the northern part of the port has enlarged the overall facility to 4,800 hectares. Plans to establish a dedicated port logistics city—designed to boost re-export activities and provide a range of value-added services—are underway, positioning the Special Economic Zone of Shahid Rajaee Port to join the ranks of third-generation ports globally. This transformation is set to play a decisive role in advancing the national economy and streamlining regional cargo distribution.

Advantages and Facilities of Special Economic Zone of Shahid Rajaee Port

• Enjoying the benefits of Special Economic Zones
• Availability of assignable lands for support, industrial, oil, and service activities on a BOT, BOOT, short-term, medium-term, and long-term lease basis.
•  Availability of water, electricity, telephone, IT networks, and a surface water drainage system.
• Optimized utilization of domestic and international connectivity networks for maritime, rail, and road transportation.
•  Located on the main transit corridor routes—such as north-south and east-west—to facilitate the transit of goods to Central Asian countries, the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman region, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Russia, and Northern Europe via rail and road.
•  Access to open waters and maximum utilization of maritime transportation advantages.
• Proximity to the main production, industrial, and petrochemical centers of the country.
•  Availability of networks of banking, credit, insurance, customs, and other related service institutions.
•  Possibility of using credit and banking facilities.
• Availability of dedicated terminals, fuel transit and bunkering facilities, as well as dedicated facilities for containerized cargo, general cargo, petroleum products, and mineral materials.
• Possibility of utilizing the advantages of a dedicated railway network and modern loading and unloading equipment and facilities.

D- Special Economic Zone of Parsian Energy Industries

The Parsian Energy Industries Special Economic Zone was approved in 2019 with an area of over 9,800 hectares, situated at the westernmost point of Hormozgan Province. It is located 15 kilometers west of Parsian County and 30 kilometers east of the city of Asaluyeh. Its premium location is attributed to its position at the junction of three provinces—Hormozgan, Bushehr, and Fars—which allows the zone to leverage the facilities and potential of all three regions.

This site, covering an approximate area of 10,000 hectares, is currently under development in two main sections:

Industrial Section designed for establishing energy-based industries such as steel plants, aluminum production, gas condensate units, petrochemical projects, power plants, and more.

Port Section configured to provide industries with easy access to water, port facilities, various essential dock posts, storage and retrieval zones, as well as comprehensive port support services along the coastal strip.

Advantages and Facilities of Special Economic Zone of Parsian Energy Industries

• Bandar Parsian is set to function as the primary gateway for importing raw materials and exporting the finished products of the region. This port is envisioned as Iran’s first and largest specialized industrial, mining, and commercial port, designed specifically to meet the loading and unloading needs of four major energy industries within the Parsian Special Economic Zone.
• According to market studies and feasibility assessments, the port is planned to have a nominal capacity of 40 million tons of cargo per year. It will feature 19 dock posts accommodating general cargo, dry bulk, liquid bulk, and container shipments. The floating vessel design is intended for handling 6,000 TEU containers, 70,000 tons of general cargo, and up to 100,000 tons of dry bulk, supported by a maximum approach draft depth of 17 meters.
• In the first phase, Bandar Parsian comprises a 1,500-meter main breakwater and four dock posts with a cumulative handling capacity of around 9 million tons per year. Wharf No. 5 was commissioned in Bahman 1399, and in addition, wharfs No. 5, 7, and 8 are currently operational. The port is already managing bulk cargo operations, including the unloading of raw materials for aluminum production, as well as exporting cement and other bulk products.
• Positioned on the southern Persian Gulf coastal strip with direct access to international waters, the port benefits from integrated links to global maritime transportation routes. This connectivity ensures that the importation of raw materials and the exportation of finished goods can be executed efficiently via international sea lines. Moreover, its proximity to the Pars Special Economic Zone and the Asaluyeh gas field area further enhances the region's competitive edge. Additional advantages include the Persian Gulf (Asaluyeh) International Airport, just 20 kilometers away, and the Parsian Consolidation Complex, which is equipped with a cargo handling capacity of 40 million tons per year.

E. Lavan Special Economic Zone
Lavan Island is linked to Mogham port from the northwest, Shatur Island from the east, and Salman, Reshadat, as well as Resalat oil fields from the south. This island is 76 km2 and is the largest Persian Gulf Island in Iran after Qeshm. Its distance from Bandar Lengeh and Bandar Abbas is 91 sea miles and 198 sea miles respectively. Lavan has a remarkable oil reserves close to its water. Currently, the products are transferred to oil facilities called "Lavan Oil Refinery Company" and then they are converted into petroleum products for domestic consumption.
Lavan, a part of Kish district, is a small but vital island in Persian Gulf region and is of high economic significance to Iran. This port has several metal docks with different capacities for sea transportation and the proper infrastructure for investment and economic activities are made ready. Ultimately, it is a port well suited for transferring petroleum products.
In addition to exporting petroleum products, there are other exported goods such as pearl and fish. Encompassing three aspects of energy, fishery, and watershed management, Lavan special economic zone was formed in 2010 by the government official permit.
Advantages of Lavan Special Economic Zone with Energy, Fishery, and Watershed Management Functions

• Custom duties exemption for importing goods and consuming materials related to production phase.
• Exemption for paying value added tax and other levies which are in curred in main land on all activities performed in special economic zones.
• Guaranteeing foreign investments for protecting investors and securing their profits.
• Importing all goods which are produced in special economic zones to main land free of customs levies and duties in proportion to value added resulting from economic activities in special economic zones.
• Tax exemptions for service and production companies for minimum 7 years (in some fields).
• Preparing land and other facilities for construction and industrial, commercial, administrative and service operations and activities.
• Importation of equipment, spare parts, raw and building materials for constructing industrial, commercial and service centers in special eco nomic zone.
• Issuance of building permission and sunset.
• Governing of free zones labor law (affairs related to labor relations, contract and their references for settlement of disputes are in accordance with manpower employment, insurance and social security regulations of free trade and industrial zones.
• Exemption of all levies, duties and charges which are incurred in main land.
• Geographical location of Lavan Island, neighborhood with Bushehr and Fars province and some regional markets in Persian Gulf countries.