Azerbaijan boosts cargo traffic along East-West transport corridor

By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

ADY Express LLC, a structural subdivision of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, increases the volume of cargo traffic along the East-West transport corridor.

In this regard, the company is planning to transport fuel oil from Kazakhstan to the Georgian port of Batumi in March 2022. 

The fuel oil will be loaded into tank cars at the Tekesu station in Kazakhstan and then delivered to the port of Alat, from where it will be transported by rail to the port of Batumi. In addition, part of the cargo will be transported along the route Kazakhstan-Russia-Azerbaijan-Georgia.

Moreover, ADY Express has already started transporting fuel from Kazakhstan to the west.

It is noted that the sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries affected the transport and logistics system too, and cargo owners have already changed the direction of cargo flows.

"This is primarily due to closed borders of Russia with Europe and the restriction of seaports. The East-West transport corridor passing through the territory of Azerbaijan is chosen as one of the alternative routes. Cargo owners in Kazakhstan have already started using the corridor for transportation to the West," the company noted.

East-West or Trans Caspian International Transport Route (TMTM) is intended for the growth of freight traffic from China to Turkey, as well as to the EU countries and vice versa. The management and development of the transport corridor are carried out by a consortium created by the participating countries. Consortium members are: in China – Chinese Railways, in Kazakhstan – KTZ Express. In the Caspian Sea – Caspian Shipping Company, in Azerbaijan – ADY Express, in Georgia – Trans Caucasus Terminals. 

Cargo is transported to Europe in two directions along this corridor. One of them is via the Georgian ports of Poti and Batumi, the other is through the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.