The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Middle East
Merchant marine Iran, in 36 editions.
The entry for Iran published Merchant marine in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 29 editions. Each is shown as published. Merchant marine in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 29
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Merchant marine” (1990 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Same as 2024- 133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,631,836 GRT/8,662,454 DWT;
- includes 36 cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 33 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 49 bulk, 2 combination bulk
133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,631,836 GRT/8,662,454 DWT; includes 36 cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 33 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 49 bulk, 2 combination bulk
- 133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,634,204 GRT/8,671,769 DWT;
- includes 36 cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 33 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 49 bulk, 2 combination bulk
133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,631,836 GRT/8,662,454 4,634,204 GRT/8,671,769 DWT; includes 36 cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 33 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 49 bulk, 2 combination bulk
- 134 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,466,395 GRT/8,329,760 DWT;
- includes 38 cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 32 oil tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 47 bulk, 2 combination bulk, 1 liquefied gas
133 134 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,634,204 GRT/8,671,769 4,466,395 GRT/8,329,760 DWT; includes 36
38 cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 33 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) 32 oil tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 3
refrigerated cargo, 49 47 bulk, 2 combination bulk bulk, 1 liquefied gas
- 135 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,480,726 GRT/8,332,593 DWT;
- includes 39 cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 32 oil tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 48 bulk, 2 combination bulk, 1 liquefied gas
134 135 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,466,395 GRT/8,329,760 4,480,726 GRT/8,332,593 DWT; includes38 39 cargo, 6 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 32 oil tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 3
refrigerated cargo, 47 48 bulk, 2 combination bulk, 1 liquefied gas
139 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,480,000 GRT/8,332,667 DWT, bulk 48, cargo 41, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 2, liquefied gas 1, oil tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea passenger 1
Rewritten: too little of the 1993 text remains to mark the changes.
139 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,480,000 GRT/8,332,667 DWT,
bulk 48, cargo 41, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 2, liquefied
gas 1, oil tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8,
short-sea passenger 1
- total:
- 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,816,820 GRT/6,991,693 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 48, cargo 38, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 2, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea passenger 1
139 total: 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,480,000 GRT/8,332,667 DWT, 3,816,820 GRT/6,991,693
DWT
ships by type: bulk 48, cargo 41, 38, chemical tanker 4, 5, combination bulk
2, liquefied31, 26, refrigerated cargo 3,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 8,
- total:
- 130 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,791,892 GRT/4,891,615 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 47, cargo 41, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 2, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 9, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 (1995 est.)
total: 132 130 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,816,820 GRT/6,991,693 2,791,892
GRT/4,891,615 DWT
ships by type: bulk 48, 47, cargo 38, 41, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk
bulk 2, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load carrier 1,
oil tanker 26, 19, refrigerated cargo 3,8, 9,
short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 (1995 est.)
- total:
- 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,436,384 GRT/6,095,124 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 47, cargo 36, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 2, container 1, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 9, short-sea passenger 1
note: Iran owns an additional 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 141,992 DWT that operate under the registry of Cyprus (1996 est.)
total: 130 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,791,892 3,436,384 GRT/6,095,124GRT/4,891,615 DWT
ships by type: bulk 47, cargo 41, 36, chemical tanker 5, 4, combination
2, container 1, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load carrier 1,
carrier 6, oil tanker 19, 22, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 9,
9, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 (1995
note: Iran owns an additional 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
141,992 DWT that operate under the registry of Cyprus (1996 est.)
- total:
- 135 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,465,226 GRT/6,128,443 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 47, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 2, container 4, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 10, short-sea passenger 1
note: Iran owns an additional 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 245,742 DWT that operate under the registries of Cyprus, Honduras, and Panama (1997 est.)
total: 132 135 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,436,384 GRT/6,095,124 3,465,226 GRT/6,128,443
DWT
ships by type: bulk 47, cargo 36, 34, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk
2, container 1, 4, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load
carrier 6, oil tanker 22, 23, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo9, 10, short-sea passenger 1
note: Iran owns an additional 3 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling141,992 245,742 DWT that operate under the registry registries of Cyprus (1996 Cyprus, Honduras, and
Panama (1997 est.)
- total:
- 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,238,293 GRT/5,658,259 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 46, cargo 35, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 5, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 10, short-sea passenger 1 (1998 est.)
total: 135 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,465,226 GRT/6,128,443 3,238,293
GRT/5,658,259 DWT
ships by type: bulk 47, 46, cargo 34, 35, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk2, bulk 1, container 4, 5, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load
large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 23, 21, refrigerated cargo 3, 2,
roll-on/roll-off cargo
note: Iran owns an additional 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
245,742 DWT that operate under the registries of Cyprus, Honduras, and
Panama (1997
- total:
- 138 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,517,751 GRT/6,208,230 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 45, cargo 36, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 7, liquified gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off 9, short-sea passenger 1 (1999 est.)
total: 132 138 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,238,293 3,517,751 GRT/6,208,230 DWT
GRT/5,658,259
ships by type: bulk 46, 45, cargo 35, 36, chemical tanker 4, combination5, liquefied 7, liquified gas tanker 1, multifunction multi-functional large load carrier 6,
large-loadoil petroleum tanker 21, 26, refrigerated cargo 2,cargo 10, 9, short-sea passenger 1 (1998 (1999 est.)
- total:
- 152 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,097,977 GRT/7,131,688 DWT ships by type: bulk 49, cargo 38, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 32, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 1 (2000 est.)
total: 138 152 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,517,751 GRT/6,208,230 4,097,977 GRT/7,131,688 DWT45, 49, cargo 36, 38, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 7, liquified 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 26, 32, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off 1, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 (1999 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 1 (2000 est.)
- total:
- 147 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,136,971 GRT/7,166,703 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 48, cargo 36, chemical tanker 4, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)
total: 152 147 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,097,977 GRT/7,131,688 4,136,971 GRT/7,166,703 DWT
ships by type: bulk 49, 48, cargo 38, 36, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 32, 30, refrigerated cargo 1, 2, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 1 (2000 (2002 est.)
- total:
- 139 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,190,576 GRT/7,276,700 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 43, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)
total: 147 139 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,136,971 GRT/7,166,703 4,190,576 GRT/7,276,700 DWT
ships by type: bulk 48, 43, cargo 36, 34, chemical tanker 4, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 2, 1, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)
- total:
- 134 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT
- by type:
- bulk 40, cargo 36, chemical tanker 3, container 7, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 5, petroleum tanker 33, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1
- registered in other countries:
- 10 (2004 est.)
total: 139 134 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,190,576 GRT/7,276,700 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWTships by type: bulk 43, 40, cargo 34, 36, chemical tanker 4, 3, container 10, 7, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load large load carrier 6, 5, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 1, 33, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 8, short-sea/passenger 1 (2002
registered in other countries: 10 (2004 est.)
- total:
- 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT
- by type:
- bulk carrier 38, cargo 49, chemical tanker 4, container 14, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 30, roll on/roll off 2
- foreign-owned:
- 1 (UAE 1)
- registered in other countries:
- 8 (2005)
total: 134 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT
by type: bulk 40, carrier 38, cargo 36, 49, chemical tanker 3, 4, container 7, 14, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier passenger 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 33, 30, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 2
foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)
registered in other countries: 10 (2004 est.) 8 (2005)
- total:
- 141 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,086,702 GRT/8,878,829 DWT
- by type:
- bulk carrier 39, cargo 45, chemical tanker 4, container 12, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 30, roll on/roll off 3
- foreign-owned:
- 1 (UAE 1)
- registered in other countries:
- 22 (Bolivia 1, Cyprus 2, Malta 14, Panama 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)
total: 144 141 ships (1,000 (1000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 5,086,702 GRT/8,878,829 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 38, 39, cargo 49, 45, chemical tanker 4, container 14, 12, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 5, 6, petroleum tanker 30, roll on/roll off 2 3
foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)
registered in other countries: 8 (2005) 22 (Bolivia 1, Cyprus 2, Malta 14, Panama 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)
- total:
- 131 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,721,202 GRT/8,309,580 DWT
- by type:
- bulk carrier 35, cargo 45, chemical tanker 4, container 9, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 29, roll on/roll off 4
- foreign-owned:
- 1 (UAE 1)
- registered in other countries:
- 33 (Bolivia 1, Cyprus 2, Malta 24, Panama 4, St Kitts and Nevis 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007)
total: 141 131 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,086,702 GRT/8,878,829 4,721,202 GRT/8,309,580 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 39, 35, cargo 45, chemical tanker 4, container 12, 9, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, 4, petroleum tanker 30, 29, roll on/roll off 3 4
foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)
registered in other countries: 22 33 (Bolivia 1, Cyprus 2, Malta 14, 24, Panama 4, Saint St Kitts and Nevis 1, St Vincent and the The Grenadines 1) (2006) (2007)
- total:
- 74
- by type:
- bulk carrier 18, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 3
- foreign-owned:
- 1 (UAE 1)
- registered in other countries:
- 115 (Barbados 2, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 15, Malta 79, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
total: 131 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,721,202 GRT/8,309,580 DWT 74
by type: bulk carrier 35, 18, cargo 45, 34, chemical tanker 4, container 9, 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 29, 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 4 3
foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)
registered in other countries: 33 (Bolivia 115 (Barbados 2, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 2, 10, Hong Kong 15, Malta 24, 79, Panama 4, St Kitts and Nevis 1, St 7, Saint Vincent and The the Grenadines 1) (2007) (2008)
- total:
- 74
- country comparison to the world:
- 60
- by type:
- bulk carrier 18, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 3
- foreign-owned:
- 1 (UAE 1)
- registered in other countries:
- 115 (Barbados 2, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 15, Malta 79, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
total:
74
country comparison to the world:
60
by type:
bulk carrier 18, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned:
1 (UAE 1)
registered in other countries:
115 (Barbados 2, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 15, Malta 79, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
The same text in 2010 and 2011.
- total:
- 74
- country comparison to the world:
- 57
- by type:
- bulk carrier 11, cargo 40, chemical tanker 5, container 9, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2
- foreign-owned:
- 1 (UAE 1)
- registered in other countries:
- 78 (Barbados 4, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 1, Malta 56, Panama 5, Ukraine 1) (2010)
total:
74
country comparison to the world:60 57
by type:
bulk carrier 18, 11, cargo 34, 40, chemical tanker 4, 5, container 6, 9, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, 3, petroleum tanker 2, 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 3 2
foreign-owned:
1 (UAE 1)
registered in other countries:115 78 (Barbados 2, 4, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 15, 1, Malta 79, 56, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Ukraine 1) (2008) (2010)
The same text in 3 editions, 2012 to 2014.
- total:
- 76
- country comparison to the world:
- 60
- by type:
- bulk carrier 8, cargo 51, chemical tanker 3, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2
- foreign-owned:
- 2 (UAE 2)
- registered in other countries:
- 71 (Barbados 5, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 3, Malta 48, Panama 5) (2010)
total:74 76
country comparison to the world:57 60
by type:
bulk carrier 11, 8, cargo 40, 51, chemical tanker 5, 3, container 9, 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1, 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned:1 2 (UAE 1) 2)
registered in other countries:78 71 (Barbados 4, Bolivia 1, 5, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 1, 3, Malta 56, 48, Panama 5, Ukraine 1) 5) (2010)
The same text in 2015 and 2016.
- total:
- 76
- by type:
- bulk carrier 8, cargo 51, chemical tanker 3, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2
- foreign-owned:
- 2 (UAE 2)
- registered in other countries:
- 71 (Barbados 5, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 3, Malta 48, Panama 5) (2010)
- country comparison to the world:
- 60
total:country comparison to the world:by type:
60
foreign-owned:
registered in other countries:
country comparison to the world: 60
- total:
- 76
- by type:
- bulk carrier 8, cargo 51, chemical tanker 3, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2
- foreign-owned:
- 2 (UAE 2)
- registered in other countries:
- 71 (Barbados 5, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 3, Malta 48, Panama 5) (2010)
- country comparison to the world:
- 61
total: 76
by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 51, chemical tanker 3, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 2 (UAE 2)
registered in other countries: 71 (Barbados 5, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 3, Malta 48, Panama 5) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 60 61
- total:
- 739 (2017)
- by type:
- bulk carrier 32, container ship 28, general cargo 340, oil tanker 26, other 313 (2017)
Rewritten: too little of the 2017 text remains to mark the changes.
total: 739 (2017)
by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 28, general cargo 340, oil tanker 26, other 313 (2017)
- total:
- 720
- by type:
- bulk carrier 31, container ship 25, general cargo 336, oil tanker 17, other 311 (2018)
total: 739 (2017) 720
by type: bulk carrier 32, 31, container ship 28, 25, general cargo 340, 336, oil tanker 26, 17, other 313 (2017) 311 (2018)
- total:
- 785
- by type:
- bulk carrier 31, container ship 26, general cargo 361, oil tanker 17, other 350 (2019)
total: 720 785
by type: bulk carrier 31, container ship 25, 26, general cargo 336, 361, oil tanker 17, other 311 (2018) 350 (2019)
The same text in 2021 and 2022.
- total:
- 893
- by type:
- bulk carrier 32, container ship 31, general cargo 371, oil tanker 84, other 375 (2021)
total: 785 893
by type: bulk carrier 31, 32, container ship 26, 31, general cargo 361, 371, oil tanker 17, 84, other 350 (2019) 375 (2021)
- total:
- 942 (2022)
- by type:
- bulk carrier 32, container ship 31, general cargo 393, oil tanker 83, other 403
total: 893 942 (2022)
by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 31, general cargo 371, 393, oil tanker 84, 83, other 375 (2021) 403
The same text in 2024 and 2025.
- total:
- 965 (2023)
- by type:
- bulk carrier 32, container ship 28, general cargo 398, oil tanker 86, other 421
total: 942 (2022) 965 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 31, 28, general cargo 393, 398, oil tanker 83, 86, other 403 421
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Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Iran: Merchant marine.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/iran/merchant-marine.