Azerbaijan creates single center for management of transit freight

By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan has decided to create a single center for the management of transit freight, Azernews reports.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Coordinating Council of Azerbaijan on Transit Freight, chaired by Digital Development and Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev.

The main task of the center is to simplify and electronize the procedures carried out at border checkpoints, synchronize the planning of transit operations and improve the processes of a single dispatch control. The headquarters will continuously monitor operations and report regularly to the Secretariat of the Coordinating Council.

In addition, a call center will be set up at the center for the prompt solution to the problems of transit cargo carriers.

Moreover, procedural rules were also signed on the management of transit cargo operations carried out on the territory of Baku International Sea Port. The document regulates cargo handling processes, sequence of operations, and documentation of deadlines. It was decided to sign similar procedural rules for other border crossing points as well.

The participants in the meeting were informed that as a result of studies by local and foreign experts a “Transit Road Map” was drawn up. The map defines short -, medium- and long-term goals for fully unlocking the country’s transit.

It was noted that the transit freight in the direction of East-West and North-West (excluding pipeline) increased by 325,000 tons and 873,000 tons to 2.5 million tons and 1.3 million tons, respectively, in the first half of 2022. During the reporting period, the transportation of oil of Turkmen origin through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline increased by 746,000 tons and amounted to 1.2 million tons. At the same time, oil products, especially of Kazakh origin, in the direction of Yalama-Boyuk-Kesik increased by 772,000 tons to 0.9 million tons in the first six months of the year.

Additionally, the participants discussed dynamic tariff policy by rail to ensure smooth cargo flow through the country's territory.

The Coordinating Council of Azerbaijan on Transit Freight is a collegial body of executive power established to attract transit cargoes to the transport corridors passing through the country and to ensure their high-quality transportation.