New momentum for Middle Corridor: Chinese firm joins Azerbaijan–Georgia–Kazakhstan joint venture
Baku, August 7, AZERTAC
In Baku, Rovshan Rustamov, Chairman of “Azerbaijan Railways” CJSC (ADY), a company within AZCON Holding, hosted a high-level trilateral meeting with Lasha Abashidze, General Director of “Georgian Railway” JSC, and Talgat Aldybergenov, Chairman of the Board of “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy” JSC (KTZ).
The meeting centered on evaluating the progress of the “Middle Corridor Multimodal Ltd.” joint venture, launched to advance strategic cooperation among the railway administrations of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan in the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor.
Participants emphasized the growing importance of enhancing digital integration and expanding smart logistics solutions across the corridor to boost operational efficiency and service reliability.
It was particularly highlighted that over the recent period, freight transportation between China and Azerbaijan via the Middle Corridor has been growing steadily. In 2024, 287 block trains were received from China, and within the seven months of this year alone, this number hit 225 trains, representing nearly a twofold increase compared to the same period last year. By this yearend, over 400 block trains are expected to arrive in Azerbaijan from China. In January-July of this year, a total of 24,000 TEU of cargo was transported on block trains, which was roughly twice as much as during the same period in the previous year.
A key item on the agenda was the intention of “China Railway Container Transport Corp. Ltd.” (CRCT), a subsidiary of China Railway, to join the joint venture. The parties held comprehensive discussions on the strategic implications of CRCT’s participation, particularly in strengthening East–West–East cargo flows and enhancing the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor on global trade routes.
The meeting concluded with unanimous agreement and signing of a relevant protocol on CRCT’s inclusion in “Middle Corridor Multimodal Ltd.”
It has been noted that the cooperation between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia within the joint venture “Middle Corridor Multimodal Ltd.” is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted, reliable, and efficient freight transportation along the Middle Corridor, as well as enhancing customer convenience through a single-window system. The Chinese company’s integration into this venture will create new opportunities for organizing container shipments from China to Europe.
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