Freight forwarders are increasingly using routes along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor) for security reasons. However, the logistics industry continues to face a lack of predictability in transit times, TRACECA Permanent Secretariat Secretary General Jasurbek Choriev said at the EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum in Baku.
"Today, we see freight forwarding companies using and seeking to use the Middle Corridor because it is a safe route. However, what we are really lacking is predictability," Choriev said.
According to the TRACECA secretary general, for a significant number of shippers, clear guarantees on delivery times are more important than transportation costs.
"Sometimes shippers are not concerned about the cost. What matters to them is knowing how long it will take for cargo to travel from point A to point B, with predictable transit times," the head of the TRACECA Secretariat explained.
He stressed that the absence of firm transit timeframes raises concerns among customers about the reliability of supply chains and the prospects for continued use of the route. This, he said, requires coordinated efforts by all market participants and government institutions to improve the corridor"s operational efficiency.