IRISL Group
Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines Public Joint Stock Company (IRISL Group) is a Tehran-based public joint-stock maritime transport and logistics group established in 1967. It provides container, bulk and general-cargo shipping, freight forwarding, port and terminal operations, ship management and multimodal transport across the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf and international waters. Its role in Iranian trade corridors is commercially significant, while its OFAC SDN status makes compliance central to any engagement.
Market position
IRISL operates as an integrated Iranian maritime and multimodal logistics group, linking seaborne transport with road, rail, forwarding, agency and terminal activities.
Operations & footprint
Products and services
IRISL Group provides maritime transport, container shipping, bulk shipping, general cargo shipping, breakbulk transport, project cargo, multimodal transport, freight forwarding, port and terminal-linked logistics, Caspian Sea shipping, Persian Gulf and ocean-going services, agency services, vessel operations, shipping-line management, cargo tracking, logistics coordination, and international trade transport through its shipping fleet and affiliated companies.
Operations and assets
The group operates ocean-going shipping capacity alongside port and terminal activities, ship management and multimodal logistics. A fleet figure of 115 ocean-going vessels and 3.3 million DWT is cited for 2026, including 87 vessels directly owned by IRISL and 28 held through subsidiaries.
Geographic footprint
Headquartered in Tehran, IRISL serves the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf and international waters.
Ownership & group structure
Reported scale
Employees: 7,080 personnel in 2025. Scale note: Net sales revenue increased 77.38% in Q1 2026; total assets grew 22.14% and net profit margin increased 102.68% over the same period.
Commercial and investment relevance
IRISL Group is relevant for investors assessing Iran's maritime logistics, import and export corridors, container access, sanctioned shipping networks, port utilization, multimodal transport, Caspian and Persian Gulf trade, and the operational limits of trade under sanctions. It can support analysis of freight bottlenecks, port-to-inland logistics, vessel availability, insurance constraints, counterparty risk, cargo compliance, and the North-South transport corridor. Due diligence should treat the company as high compliance risk and verify current sanctions status, TSE/Codal disclosures, ownership and state-linked shareholders, subsidiary structure, fleet ownership, vessel flags, insurance and P&;I arrangements, port relationships, cargo types, OFAC/EU restrictions, related-party vessels, payment routes, and any limitations affecting chartering, cargo handling, finance, insurance, or international counterparties. For cargo owners and logistics partners, IRISL provides a single-group interface for maritime carriage, forwarding and inland transport in Iranian trade flows. Its role is particularly relevant where cargo requires connections between Iranian ports, domestic rail or road networks, the Caspian basin and international corridors.
Constraints, risk & compliance
Key risks and constraints
The group’s OFAC SDN designation can limit vessel chartering, cargo handling, banking, insurance, P&;I cover and access to international service providers. Transactions require vessel-, counterparty-, cargo- and payment-route screening.
Sanctions and compliance considerations
IRISL is listed on the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List and is subject to US secondary sanctions linked to Iran’s shipping sector. US-related property and transactions are blocked, and dealings can expose non-US counterparties to secondary-sanctions risk.
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Frequently asked questions
Direct answers to the questions most likely to arise when reviewing this profile.
What services does IRISL Group provide?
IRISL provides container, bulk and general-cargo shipping, chemical and petrochemical liquid and gas transport, freight forwarding, port and terminal operations, ship management, agency services, cargo tracking and integrated road, rail and sea logistics.
Where does IRISL operate?
IRISL is headquartered in Tehran and operates across the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf and international waters.
Is IRISL subject to US sanctions?
Yes. IRISL is on the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List and is subject to US secondary sanctions related to Iran’s shipping sector.
Why is IRISL commercially important?
IRISL connects Iranian seaborne trade with freight forwarding, port services and inland transport, making it relevant to import, export and transit flows, including International North–South Transport Corridor activity.