Given the long term nature of the contract for export of LNG by Iran to India which is expected to last for 20 years and considering the fact that no share has been allocated for domestic shipping companies for transport of LNG, the country's shipping industry has actually been deprived of a reliable labor market in the future. While the contract for export of LNG by Iran to India has made no reference to the capabilities or presence of domestic shipping companies, these companies enjoying high transport potentialities, skilled manpower and relevant industries can play an effective role in transport of LNG at national and international levels. According to experts, the development of marine transport, creation of job opportunities in this field and activation of industries affiliated to this sector are among new economic and political opportunities which alongside the huge national oil industry should be given due attention. It seems that transport of LNG is an opportunity which has been overlooked and officials concerned have confined all their efforts to the marketing and sale of LNG. No attention has been paid either to the good labor market which can be provided by the contract while the transportation fee and economic values of relevant services are much more than the total value of the main deal. It is said that in the contracts signed by Qatar for export of its LNG, the purchasers have undertaken to cede 25 percent of the transportation of the consignment to Qatari shipping companies. Such considerations in the contracts signed by Qatar for sale of its gas have persuaded the Qataris to make planning on formation of the biggest LNG shipping fleet in the Middle East. Although it is necessary for Iran to expedite the production and sale of LNG from South Pars gas field in order to seize the existing opportunities and narrow the existing gap, the export of LNG without giving any role to the domestic transportation fleet or developing and equipping the domestic shipping network actually means a kind of indifference to job creation through LNG trade and this may cause the national economy to remain dependent on oil revenues. Some experts believe that the lack of coordination among relevant organizations in preliminary talks on export of LNG by Iran to India caused the relevant contract not to pay as much attention to the effective role of domestic shipping companies as it should and despite the efforts of these companies including the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line, Iran-India Shipping Company, the National Iranian Oil Tanker Company and the National Iranian Gas Company to form a special consortium for transport of LNG, they have not got much success in influencing the transport of LNG from Iran to India. Today, the world's need for LNG and profitability of LNG transport business have persuaded international banks to offer loans with easy terms for purchase and manufacture of LNG carrier ships. For this reason, it is necessary for the country to make maximum use of the financial opportunity offered by foreign banks in order to equip its shipping companies with LNG carrier ships. Given that negotiations on export of LNG by Iran to other countries such as China and some European states are on the agenda, conditions should be provided to increase the role of Iranian shipping firms in carrying LNG in the future contracts and to make better use of such deals. Missing the opportunity provided by the LNG market and its transport industry, such as the delay in exploiting South Pars gas field, may lead to weakening the national economy particularly in the field of marine transportation.