According to IDRO News, Farshad Moqhimi, Head of the Board of Directors of the Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran (IDRO), said in an interview with IRIB News Agency that renewing the country’s maritime fleet is a necessity.

He stressed that the high average age of the maritime fleet is one of the sector’s serious challenges and that reducing the average age of vessels must be placed on the agenda.

Moqimi added that domestic companies currently possess the capability to design and build large vessels exceeding 50,000 tons, 70,000 tons, and even vessels in the 120,000‑ton class, noting that the construction of such vessels is fully feasible within the country.

Highlighting the importance of scrapping obsolete vessels, he stated that the scrapping and recycling of worn‑out ships is an effective solution with multiple economic and environmental benefits.

 He noted that approximately 50 obsolete vessels in the country are ready for recycling, each containing about 10,000 tons of steel on average.

This means that nearly 1.5 million tons of marine‑grade steel currently remain unused nationwide—steel that not only generates no economic value but also causes harmful environmental impacts on marine ecosystems.

Referring to the industry’s high recycling potential, Moqhimi said that about **95 percent of the weight of an ocean‑going vessel is recyclable**, including metals, glass, plastics, wood, as well as engines and generators, all of which can be recovered and reused.