Seaports in Afghanistan: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026)

Afghanistan has 8 ports and terminals indexed in the Ecer Freight database, serving primarily as inland, border and transshipment gateways connected to neighboring maritime ports.

Review Afghanistan port codes, freight gateways, regional cargo roles and practical routing considerations for 2026.

Browse Port Codes World Port Statistics

Afghanistan Port Overview

Afghanistan is landlocked, so the locations listed here function mainly as dry ports, inland freight terminals, border logistics points and regional cargo gateways rather than ocean-facing seaports. International sea freight generally moves through neighboring countries before continuing by road or rail.

8 Afghanistan ports & terminals indexed in our database Ecer Freight database · Nov 2026

— National freight volume, 2025; YoY not published in a comparable official series MOT 2025 public data review

— Container throughput, 2025; YoY not published in a comparable official series MOT 2025 public data review

— Operational berth count, 2025; YoY not published in a comparable official series MOT 2025 public data review

How many seaports does Afghanistan have?

Afghanistan has 8 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight, although the country is landlocked and these facilities primarily perform inland, border or dry-port functions.

Which is Afghanistan’s busiest freight gateway?

Hairatan is widely recognized as a key northern freight gateway for Afghanistan, particularly for rail-linked and cross-border cargo flows; the indexed location code is AFHRT.

Which regions handle the main freight flows?

The main indexed freight corridors are the northern Hairatan–Mazar-e Sharif area, the western Herat–Islam Qala corridor and the southern Nimruz–Kandahar area.

Top Freight Gateways in Afghanistan

This table ranks the principal indexed freight gateways by practical logistics relevance. Afghanistan has no ocean container-port league table of its own, and comparable 2025 TEU throughput, world rank and year-on-year figures are not publicly reported for these inland and border facilities.

Indexed freight gateways and 2025 container data availability

World rank	Port	UN-LOCODE	2025 throughput (M TEU)	YoY change	Region
—	Herat	AFHEA	—	—	Western Afghanistan
—	Kabul	AFBUL	—	—	Central Afghanistan
—	Hairatan	AFHRT	—	—	Northern Afghanistan
—	Islam Qala	AFISL	—	—	Western Afghanistan
—	Aqineh	AFAQE	—	—	Northern Afghanistan
—	Mazzar-e Sharif	AFMSF	—	—	Northern Afghanistan
—	Nimruz	AFNMZ	—	—	Southern Afghanistan
—	Candahar	AFCDR	—	—	Southern Afghanistan

Afghanistan Freight Regions

Northern Afghanistan

Northern gateways support trade with Central Asia and provide important road and rail connections for cargo entering Afghanistan from the north.

Northern freight gateways

Port	UN-LOCODE	City / Province	Main cargo role
Hairatan	AFHRT	Afghanistan /	Northern cross-border and rail-linked freight gateway
Aqineh	AFAQE	Afghanistan /	Cross-border cargo and regional distribution
Mazzar-e Sharif	AFMSF	Afghanistan /	Inland consolidation and northern market access

Western Afghanistan

The western corridor links Afghanistan with neighboring markets through major road-based border and inland logistics points.

Western freight gateways

Port	UN-LOCODE	City / Province	Main cargo role
Herat	AFHEA	Afghanistan /	Western inland distribution and cargo consolidation
Islam Qala	AFISL	Islam Qala /	Western border freight and transit cargo

Central Afghanistan

Central Afghanistan is primarily served by inland logistics facilities connected to national consumption centers and domestic distribution networks.

Central freight gateway

Port	UN-LOCODE	City / Province	Main cargo role
Kabul	AFBUL	Afghanistan /	National inland distribution and import demand center

Southern Afghanistan

Southern gateways support road freight movements toward southern border markets and regional cargo destinations.

Southern freight gateways

Port	UN-LOCODE	City / Province	Main cargo role
Nimruz	AFNMZ	Afghanistan /	Southern border logistics and transit cargo
Candahar	AFCDR	Afghanistan /	Southern inland distribution and regional freight

Afghanistan Port Codes and UN/LOCODEs

AF Prefix and Three-Letter Location Code

Afghanistan uses the country prefix AF in UN/LOCODE conventions. The complete code normally combines the two-letter country prefix with a three-letter location identifier, such as AFHRT for Hairatan.

City-Level and Terminal-Level Codes

A location code may identify a city, inland freight center, border point or terminal rather than an ocean berth. The operational facility, customs point and routing leg should therefore be confirmed before booking.

How to Verify a Port Code

Compare the code against the UNECE UN/LOCODE framework and the Ecer Freight port directory. Carrier systems, customs documents and local agents should also be checked for current operational details.

Shipping from Afghanistan: Main Trade Lanes

Because Afghanistan has no coastline, international ocean freight is normally routed through a neighboring seaport and then moved inland by road or rail. Transit time depends on the selected maritime gateway, border conditions, customs clearance and security controls.

Northern Central Asia Corridor

A practical route for cargo moving through northern Afghanistan and onward to Central Asian markets.

Main origin portsHairatan (AFHRT), Mazzar-e Sharif (AFMSF)

Main destination portsCentral Asian seaports and inland terminals

Indicative transit timeSubject to confirmation; typically 20–35 days door to door

Western Regional Corridor

The western route serves cargo linked to Herat and the Islam Qala border logistics area.

Main origin portsHerat (AFHEA), Islam Qala (AFISL)

Main destination portsNeighboring-country ocean ports and western inland hubs

Indicative transit timeSubject to confirmation; typically 18–32 days door to door

Central Afghanistan Distribution

Kabul is an important inland demand and distribution center for imported consumer, industrial and project cargo.

Main origin portsKabul (AFBUL)

Main destination portsRegional ocean ports selected by cargo origin and border route

Indicative transit timeSubject to confirmation; typically 20–40 days door to door

Southern Afghanistan Corridor

Southern inland gateways support cargo bound for markets and border points in the south.

Main origin portsNimruz (AFNMZ), Candahar (AFCDR)

Main destination portsSouthern regional ocean ports and inland distribution centers

Indicative transit timeSubject to confirmation; typically 20–40 days door to door

View FCL Sea Freight Rates View LCL Sea Freight Rates

Data Sources and Methodology

Ecer Freight Ports Database — first-party directory count of 8 Afghanistan ports and terminals, reviewed in Nov 2026; available through the Port Codes directory.
UNECE — UN/LOCODE naming and location-code reference framework; UNECE official website.
Afghanistan Ministry of Transport and Aviation — official transport-sector context and publicly available 2025 data review; official website.
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency — geographic and maritime reference context used for location verification; NGA official website.
Public logistics and trade references — used to distinguish inland freight gateways from ocean-port throughput and to frame indicative routing times; figures remain subject to carrier and border confirmation.

Afghanistan Port FAQ

How many seaports does Afghanistan have?

Afghanistan has 8 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight. As a landlocked country, these locations are mainly inland terminals, border gateways and dry-port facilities rather than ocean-facing seaports.

What is the main freight gateway in Afghanistan?

Hairatan is a key northern freight gateway, especially for cross-border and rail-linked cargo. Its indexed UN/LOCODE is AFHRT.

Does Afghanistan have an ocean container port?

No. Afghanistan has no coastline. Ocean cargo is generally discharged at a neighboring country’s seaport and transported inland by road or rail.

What are the main freight regions in Afghanistan?

The principal indexed corridors are northern Afghanistan around Hairatan and Mazzar-e Sharif, western Afghanistan around Herat and Islam Qala, central Afghanistan around Kabul, and southern Afghanistan around Nimruz and Candahar.

How are Afghanistan port codes structured?

Afghanistan location codes use the AF country prefix followed by three location characters. Examples in the Ecer Freight directory include AFBUL, AFHRT and AFISL.

How current is the Afghanistan port data?

The indexed port count reflects the Ecer Freight database snapshot from Nov 2026. Public freight, TEU and berth statistics are shown only where a comparable official figure is available, and routing details remain subject to confirmation.

How can shippers request an Afghanistan freight quote?

Shippers can request FCL or LCL pricing by providing the cargo origin, destination, commodity, weight, dimensions, equipment requirements and preferred border or inland gateway.

This Afghanistan port guide combines the Ecer Freight Ports Database snapshot from Nov 2026 with UN/LOCODE references and publicly available transport information. The directory is reviewed quarterly; freight volumes, operating status, border procedures and transit times may change and should be confirmed before shipment.

Ecer Freight · Seaports in Afghanistan: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026) · Data reviewed quarterly · Port Codes · Ports by Country · Contact