2024-04-16 23:01:36
International expert on Asian economies Raza Sayed, in his article for the portal “The Times of Central Asia”, called the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITM, or Middle Corridor) a flagship cooperation project for many states, especially in light of the current geopolitical situation in the world, reports on Saturday Day.Az.
“New transport corridors, through which goods and raw materials can be safely and quickly exported by all modes of transport, are today a vital task for many countries. The Middle Corridor falls under these criteria, and in recent years this route has experienced a new round of development, as it connects the East and The West, bypassing Russia, which is under sanctions,” says Syed.
He points out that this route covers 11 thousand kilometers of railways and includes ten seaports. The route starts in China at the port of Lianyungang, passes through Xi’an to Urumqi, through Kazakhstan (dry ports of Khorgos and Dostyk and ports of Aktau and Kuryk), Azerbaijan (port of Alyat), Georgia (Tbilisi), and then continues through the Black Sea to Europe.
“It is important that this route is multimodal, that is, rail, sea and road transport can be used. The current capacity of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route is 6 million tons per year, and by 2025 it is planned to reach the level of 10 million tons per year. So The potential of the Middle Corridor is great,” the expert notes.
The geography of the route is constantly expanding, the number of members of the TMTM Association has increased to 25 companies (11 countries).
Sayed’s article relies on a recent World Bank study confirming that, from a trade and economic point of view, TMTM primarily allows for the diversification of trade routes and improved transport accessibility for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan.
“World Bank analysts predict that, according to a scenario involving increased operational efficiency of the Middle Corridor, by 2030 the volume of traffic through the Caspian Sea will triple compared to 2021 and will amount to 11 million tons. And about 4 million tons will be driven by the projected demand for container shipping.” , – reminds the expert.
He also cites estimates from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development that the potential of TMTM could be increased to 26 million tons by 2040, which would require infrastructure investments for Central Asian countries of 18.5 billion euros.
The Asian Development Bank will provide a grant to develop a strategy for the further development of the TMTM route in 2024. “In essence, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route is the revival of the Great Silk Road in modern realities, including such a relevant component as the “Digital Silk Road”, since the upcoming construction of a fiber-optic communication line along the bottom of the Caspian Sea will ensure the creation of a new digital telecommunications corridor between Europe and Asia,” says Syed.
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