In order to increase transport connectivity on the segment of the second China-Europe route across the Caspian Sea, two vessels will operate in the direction of Baku-Turkmenbashi-Baku from 2022, Report informs, citing ADY Container LLC, a subsidiary of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC.
According to the LLC, the Shair Sabir and Mahmud Rahimov vessels, operated by ADY Container LLC and Turkmenistan Transport and Logistics Center OJSC, will transport containers in the Baku-Turkmenbashi-Baku direction. Along with the number of vessels, the number of weekly vessel voyages will also double, depending on weather conditions. The first vessel between these ports was launched in April 2019. To date, 17,500 TEU containers have been transported in both directions along the route.
The implementation of the project to strengthen vessel communication between the Baku and Turkmenbashi ports has been possible with the support of Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company CJSC (ASCO), Baku International Sea Trade Port CJSC and Turkmenbashi International Sea Port.
This step is aimed at developing the “Asia-Pacific region-China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey-Europe transport route”. This transcontinental multimodal railway route was created in 2019 with the participation of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC and the state railways of the respective countries. In December 2021, Turkey also joined this route. At the moment, container cargo on this route is transported from Turkey by the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, as well as from the Georgian ports of Poti and Batumi to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and in the reverse direction.
The volume of freight transportation on the route in 2021 increased by 101% compared to 2020. Freight transportation is carried out by the Turkish company Pacific Eurasia Logistics, the Georgian company GR Logistics and Terminals, ADY Container, Turkmenistan Transport and Logistics Center OJSC, the Uzbek company Uzbektemiryolexpedition, and the Kyrgyz Railways operator. The parties held a number of fruitful meetings to improve the route. The best result on the route was achieved in May 2021 - containers were delivered from the Turkish city of Izmir to Osh (Kyrgyzstan) in 18 days. The goal of the operators is to reduce transit time in this direction to 12 days.