Tehran, July 5, IRNA-The maritime transportation line between Iran's Bandar Imam Khomeini and Europe, namely the Liner, is to be operational soon.

The English-language daily `Tehran Times' on Tuesday quoted Jalil Eslami, the general manager of Khuzestan's Ports and Shipping Department General as saying the first cargo ship, called Yasouj, will arrive at Bandar Imam from Malta within the next few days.

The cargo ship, with the capacity of carrying 2,500 containers, belongs to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and other scheduled weekly transportation from other European ports to Bandar Imam will follow thereafter, he added.

He said the establishment of this maritime shipping line, called ECL, has been the result of the joint effort and cooperation between this provincial department general and the IRISL.

About 70 percent of Iran's industrial, agricultural, and commercial centers are situated in the western half of the country.

Iran Jonoub Shipping Line in Bandar Imam has made the cost reduction in cargo delivery, by sea or land, as part of its inherent operational policies and has been offering necessary assistance to the merchants by wavering the cost between Bandar Abbas and Bandar Imam, Eslami further stated.