Middle Corridor could provide a safer and shorter alternative route - EBRD rep.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, has the potential to serve as a safer and shorter alternative to existing transport routes, according to Huseyn Özhan, Acting Managing Director for Central Asia at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Azernews reports.

Speaking at the "Astana Finance Days" annual financial conference, Özhan highlighted the need for significant investments to develop sustainable infrastructure along the corridor.

Based on an EBRD study, around 17.5 billion euros are required to build sustainable infrastructure across the entire Middle Corridor, which stretches from China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey.

"The Trans-Caspian transport route can offer a safer and shorter alternative route compared to other corridors in use," Özhan noted.

The EBRD representative pointed out that the transport of cargo along the Middle Corridor can take anywhere from 15 to 60 days. The logistics are complex, involving multiple border crossings and numerous parties. "In addition, there is also a soft infrastructure. These are digitization, normalization of work, tariff determination, scheduling, customs control, and other elements that need to be adapted and optimized to make the corridor fully operational and become a good alternative route," Özhan emphasized.

The Middle Corridor's development would require a comprehensive approach, including both hard and soft infrastructure improvements, to facilitate smoother and more efficient cargo transport between China and Europe.