Rail freight transportation on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway will become more intensive, Rovshan Rustamov, chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY), told Report.
He noted that the BTK had not been operating for about a year: "From next year, more intensive freight transportation will be carried out through this railway line. An agreement has already been reached on the transportation of goods from China via the BTK."
Rustamov added that on August 13, Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, together with Georgian Railways JSC, created a joint venture called BTKI Railways LLC: "The enterprise will start its activities in the near future. In addition to ensuring the operation and management of the infrastructure of the Marabda-Kartsakhi section, BTKI Railways will work to effectively organize freight transportation and attract new cargo. The joint efforts of Azerbaijan and Georgia through this joint venture will also be aimed at strengthening regional transport links and the potential of the Middle Corridor."
According to Rustamov, China wants to increase the volume of goods sent along the Middle Corridor: "The number of block trains sent from China exceeds our expectations. This year, 190 block trains passed through the corridor, and by the end of the year, more than 250 block trains are expected to be sent. Next year, it is planned to send 50 block trains per month along the corridor. The shipment of goods from eastern China through the Middle Corridor has already begun."