Azernews.Az

By Ayya Lmahamad

Kazakhstan is working on increasing the volume of transportation via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route to Azerbaijan and Georgia, Day.az has reported.

This was stated at the meeting of the Kazakh operational headquarters for anti-crisis measures.

In response to business concerns about the transportation of Kazakh cargoes, Kazakhstan Railway Operator Chairman Nurlan Sauranbayev stated that goods in the export direction are transported in the normal mode, both by rail and through seaports.

"In order to ensure the uninterrupted transportation of cargo to European countries, an increase in transportation through the Trans-Caspian international transport route in the direction of Azerbaijan and Georgia (ports: Baku, Batumi and Poti) is being worked out," the statement said.

The meeting addressed logistical issues concerning Kazakhstan's cargo transportation. In particular, Industry and Infrastructural Development Minister Kairbek Uskenbayev provided an update on negotiations and agreements reached with foreign partners.

"Agreements with partners on cargo direction along the route Aktau/Kuryk-Baku-Tbilisi-Kars are currently being worked out in terms of developing transit-logistic potential. Tariff issues are also being solved," he said.

It should be noted that the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor was established in February 2014 with the participation of relevant Azerbaijani, Kazakh, and Georgian cargo transportation agencies. Ukraine, Romania, and Poland have recently been mentioned.

Currently, the route begins in the Chinese port of Lianyungang and passes through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, reaching further Europe either via the Georgian Black Sea ports or Turkey through the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway.

The Trans-Caspian transport route is an important integrated trade corridor in China's Belt and Road Initiative. This 6,500-km corridor promotes Central Asia's and the Caucasus' development and growth by increasing regional trade, investment, and infrastructure.

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Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad

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