A Message by Mr. Seyed Fakhreddin Anvar, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Managing Director of Qeshm Free Zone:

Energy is a necessary element for technological development, and access to sources of energy is one of the most important challenges in the contemporary world. Indeed, economic growth is strongly dependent upon energy, to the extent that one of the major factors leading to rapid economic development in the early decades of the 20th century was access to the source of cheap energy in the Middle East.

Iran’s main source of hard currency and national income is fossil energy which it exports worldwide. Indeed, the country’s socio-economic development depends on its energy sector. From the 1990s two new areas have become available for further oil and gas exploration and production. One is the Caspian Sea and the other is the huge gas reservoirs found in the Persian Gulf. These have opened a new chapter in the economic sphere of the country and its international relations. Exploitation of the huge South Pars Field is bound to have staggering economic and technical impact on the overall economic system of the country. Qeshm Island lies at the centre of many gas fields and has itself considerable gas resources and easy access to the gas resources of the neighboring regions. The Island, and the Free Zone in particular can, therefore, provide enormous opportunities for diverse economic activities, the following in particular:

1- Energy-dependent industries such as GTL factories (for production of fuels such as aviation fuel and gasoline from natural gas).

2- Production of LNG and HBI for the industrial units that manufacture ferrous alloys, aluminium and non-ferrous minerals such as sodium bicarbonate.

3- Production of electricity needed on the island and the country’s southeastern provinces.

4- Gas, chemical and petrochemical industries such as MTBE and DME, aromatics and the related chemicals.

5- Consumer industries such as plants for the manufacture of plastics, fibres, detergents, industrial waxes, solvents, etc.

In addition to the establishment of energyconsuming industrial units, Qeshm Island can become a base for oil-related activities and peripheral services of this industry. Qeshm Island’s geo-economic and geo- strategic location and its other natural advantages have paved the way for the establishment of a terminal with oil depots and warehouses, on the northern coast of the Island. Following the establishment of this terminal and the related support installations, Qeshm Island can become a centre for storing the oil and gasoline needed by the country.

One of the most important advantages of Qeshm Island is easy access to international waters. Ships that pass through the Strait of Hormoz on their way from the Sea of Oman to the Persian Gulf, pass by the Island at a close range. Therefore, opportunities abound for the construction of onshore bunkering installations that can store up to 10 million tons of oil, in addition to the provision of subsidiary services such as catering and repairing sea vessels. This competitive advantage does not exist anywhere along the northern or southern coasts of the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman.

I seriously believe that Qeshm is an exceptional island and I know that the return on any investment made in various projects on the Island will be very high. Therefore, all agencies and domestic and foreign investors are called upon for partnership and investment in projects on Qeshm Island. Obviously, we guarantee the security of investments and the provision of the facilities needed, such as the infrastructure networks.