2024-04-24 06:57:54
Increasing the use of containers in cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR or Middle Corridor) will help optimize cargo handling.
As Day.Az reports, Irakli Danelia, business development manager for the Central Asia and Caucasus region of Maersk, told Trend about this.
“With regard to the World Bank report and EBRD study on further development of the Middle Corridor, it would be appropriate to consider the costs involved. However, the implementation of such initiatives depends on the willingness of markets to act quickly, as time is of the essence in this matter. The main focus must be on converting bulk export cargo into containerized transport. The rapid increase in the use of containers in cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor will help optimize cargo handling,” he said.
According to him, Maersk believes that all stakeholders in this industry should devote time and effort in this direction, as it is extremely important.
“In Central Asia, the majority of exported goods are traditionally transported unpackaged and in large quantities. Therefore, there is a need to raise awareness of the benefits of containerization, which include standardization and streamlining of operational processes. In addition, stakeholders need to highlight the economic benefits of containerization, especially as part of multimodal transit corridor, such as the Middle Corridor,” Danelia emphasized.
The regional manager also mentioned that if all stakeholders, including government agencies, the private sector, local operators and global companies, coordinated efforts to raise awareness and educate cargo owners on the importance of containerization, significant progress could be made.
“This coordinated approach will help demonstrate the benefits of containerization at the regional level and align expectations with realistic and relevant time frames,” he added.
Note that in 2023, the World Bank published a report on the development of the Middle Corridor, according to which a combination of investments and efficiency measures could halve travel times along the corridor and triple trade flows by 2030.
According to the World Bank, short-term efficiency gains and medium-term investments will help strengthen the functioning of the Middle Corridor and harness its potential to boost regional trade. This, according to the report, requires steps to improve coordination, logistics and digitalization, and critical investments are needed to modernize railways, intermodal facilities and ports in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan.
We also note that the Middle Corridor connects the container rail freight networks of China and the countries of the European Union through the countries of Central Asia, the Caucasus, Turkey and Eastern Europe.
A multilateral multimodal transport infrastructure links ferry terminals of the Caspian and Black Seas with the railway systems of China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine and Poland.
The middle corridor contributes to an increase in cargo traffic from China to Turkey, as well as to European countries and in the opposite direction.
A block train running along this corridor delivers goods from China to Europe in an average of 20-25 days, and this is one of the main advantages of this transport corridor.
Subscribe to our WhatsApp channel and stay up to date with the main news!