Shipping Time from Iran to India by Sea: Via Poti & Mersin
Why the Route to India Has Changed
Iran-India trade traditionally moved through Persian Gulf ports like Bandar Abbas, with a short sea crossing to Mundra or Nhava Sheva. That’s no longer HAPCO’s routing. With Bandar Abbas out of use, cargo now moves overland to Mersin, Turkey or Poti, Georgia, then by sea to India — a longer route on paper, but a stable and predictable one given current regional conditions.
Shipping Time from Iran to India: What to Expect
Via Mersin: trucking from Iran to Mersin, then a Mediterranean-to-India sea route via the Suez Canal — the longest sea leg of the two options, but on well-established container line schedules with regular sailings.
Via Poti: trucking to Georgia, then a Black Sea route connecting onward through the Mediterranean and Suez toward India — similar overall transit profile to the Mersin option, with routing depending on carrier and current sailing schedules.
For both options, total door-to-door shipping time from Iran to India typically runs longer than the old direct Persian Gulf crossing did — realistically several weeks rather than the 7-10 days sometimes quoted for the old Bandar Abbas-to-Mundra route. We build this into every quote so there are no surprises once cargo is already moving.
A Note on Current Freight Costs
Rates on alternative routing out of Iran have moved significantly since regional shipping conditions changed earlier this year — industry reporting has shown cost increases of several times the pre-2026 baseline for some cargo types on rerouted corridors, particularly for anything requiring refrigeration or special handling. We quote every shipment individually and confirm current rates before booking — the market is moving too fast right now for a fixed published price to stay accurate.
FCL Focus: 20ft & 40ft HQ Containers
As with our other routes, FCL shipping — 20ft and 40ft HQ containers — is where we focus for India-bound cargo, since it suits the majority of shipment types without the added handling complexity of LCL consolidation.
Get Your Current Transit Time & Rate
Since both routing and pricing shift with current conditions, the only reliable way to know your real transit time and cost is to ask us directly for your specific shipment.