Baku Port increases cargo turnover by 27 pct in 2020

By Ayya Lmahamad

Baku International Sea Port increased cargo turnover by 27 percent over the six months of 2020, the port’s press service reported on July 21.

The volume of cargo transshipment for the first six months of this year amounted to 2.5 million tons, which is by 27 percent more than the corresponding figure for 2019.

Thus, despite the current COVID-19 crisis worldwide, the number of overloads has increased and Baku Port has successfully completed the first half of 2020.

Moreover, transit cargoes accounted for 87 percent or 2.2 million tons of the total cargo volume.

The most significant increase during the reporting period was recorded in dry cargo handling. Thus compared to the same period last year, the transshipment of dry cargoes increased by 5 times and amounted to 401,000 tons.

Additionally, the number of large vehicles (trucks) increased by 14.4 percent to 17,173. Of these 68.6 percent or 11,776 moved in the direction of Baku- Turkmenbashi- Baku, and 31.4 percent or 5,397 in the direction of Baku- Kuryk-Baku.

Likewise, due to the closure of the country’s borders and the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of passengers using the port’s service decreased by 31 percent and amounted to 13,776 people, compared to the same period in 2019.

The Port of Baku is located in Alat at the crossroads of two major transportation corridors – East-West and North-South. The Port of Baku serves as a major intermodal distribution hub, but will also employ an integrated development model that involves port activities, bonded zone, the Alat township and various transport and non-transport projects.