Təqribi çatma vaxtı
22 Noyabr 09:28:51
One of the key goals of Azerbaijan's economic diversification, reducing dependence on the oil sector, and developing the non-oil economy is transforming the country into an international transport hub.
The advantageous geographical location of the country, situated at the crossroads of East-West and North-South trade routes, serves as a positive factor for achieving this goal but is not sufficient on its own. To realize this goal, it is necessary to, on the one hand, develop and modernize the country’s transport infrastructure to accommodate international transit cargo flows, and, on the other hand, actively cooperate with countries through which international corridors pass to enhance their functionality.
The multimodal structure of transit transportation through Azerbaijan, which involves railway, road, sea, and air transport, necessitates broad international cooperation and coordination.
Strategic Steps and Achievements
The long-term strategic steps undertaken by Azerbaijan are already yielding results. Railways form the backbone of transit transportation through the country. Since 2022, the volume of transit transportation has significantly increased. In 2024, Azerbaijan Railways transported over 18.5 million tons of cargo in transit, import, export, and domestic operations. Transit cargo volumes increased by 5.7% compared to the same period in 2023, reaching 7.3 million tons. Import transportation grew by 10%, amounting to 5.2 million tons.
On the East-West route, which is the main transit direction, the volume of cargo exceeded 3.2 million tons. Among transit cargo, oil and oil products accounted for more than 2.8 million tons, an 11% increase compared to 2023.
The Role of Azerbaijan Railways in Developing International Corridors
«Azerbaijan Railways» CJSC is actively involved in developing international corridors passing through the country's territory, enhancing their competitiveness and attractiveness.
The Middle Corridor, connecting East and West, holds special significance for Azerbaijan. Since its establishment in 2017, Azerbaijan Railways has been an active participant in this project, ensuring the operation of the main route through China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, as well as developing its alternative branches. A significant milestone was the construction and commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line in 2017, which enabled cargo transportation from Turkey to Europe.
Development of Container Transportation
In 2024, there was a significant increase in container transportation via the Middle Corridor. In March, the first container block train from Xi'an, China, reached Baku in just 11 days, marking a new chapter in the country’s transit potential. During the year, 358 container block trains were sent from China to Azerbaijan, of which 287 were already received.
Infrastructure Modernization
In 2024, modernization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line was completed, increasing its cargo throughput capacity from 1 million to 5 million tons per year.
North-South: New Prospects
As part of the development of the North-South International Transport Corridor, Azerbaijan expanded its cooperation with neighboring countries and international financial institutions. Agreements were signed with Russia and Iran aimed at increasing transit volumes and modernizing infrastructure.
Goals for 2030
Azerbaijan Railways is implementing a strategy aimed at transforming Azerbaijan into a key transport hub, with the goal of increasing transit volumes by 2-4 times. Key priorities include focusing on strategic cargoes, developing multimodal transportation, digitization, and expanding international cooperation.
