IRISL, an Iranian based cargo line has made its first delivery to a European port in 5 years. Due to international sanctions, the line was not permitted to dock in Europe. With the sanctions lifted, several European and US shipping companies have started taking bookings destined for Iran and have added the Iranian port of Kharg Island as a stop on some sailings. IRISL has started shipping services between Europe and Iran on weekly schedule, but in a few months, it plans to expand to include ports in South and North America, with an expected volume of 6000 TEUs.
Hong Kong's port development is losing to competition from South China ports. In a government commissioned report, Hong Kong's share of South China cargo had fallen from more than 70 percent in 2011 to below 40 percent. Hong Kong has become the less preferred choice for shipping South China cargo.