TEHRAN, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Qatar is keen on the expansion and facilitating maritime trade with Iran, Financial Tribune daily reported on Wednesday.

This was underlined by Qatari Minister of Transportation and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti in a recent meeting with CEO of Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran, Mohammad Rastad, in Doha.

During the meeting on Monday, the two sides stressed eliminating obstacles to exports and transit from Iran's southern ports to Qatar and of increasing private sector investments from both countries in the fields of logistics and maritime transportation.

A delegation of Iranian public and private shipping companies as well as maritime officials was accompanying Rastad in his visit to Doha.

Most Iranian shipping lines have now switched their transport services to Qatar, instead of the UAE and Oman, according to Adnan Musapour, a member of the Export Committee at Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mining.

Torang Darya Shipping Line, the biggest private shipping company in Iran, has announced that it intends to expand its business in Qatar.

The role of cargo movement through sea route has increased in Qatar after a number of Arab states, which are led by Saudi Arabia, severed diplomatic relations with Doha early June and imposed a blockade on the Persian Gulf country, accusing it of supporting terrorist groups.

According to the latest data released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, Iran exported 139 million U.S. dollars worth of non-oil goods to Qatar during the seven months until Oct. 22, registering a remarkable 117.5 percent increase compared with the same period of last year.

Notably, exports saw a significant growth during the month ending on Oct. 22. Iran exported about 50 million dollars of non-oil products to Qatar during the one-month period, which shows a fivefold rise year-on-year.