IRISL plans to modernise fleet and re-enter Western markets

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The rapprochement between the West and Iran continues apace, with the country’s national shipping line, IRISL, attending this week’s Danish Maritime Days shipping conference in Copenhagen and doing a revealing interview with The Wall St Journal. It is hoping to once more trade with Europe and the US by the beginning of next year and is planning to order a series of 18,000 teu-plus ultra-large container vessels, tapping into finance from China and likely placing its orders there as well.