Kazakhstan and China trial cargo route from Kuryk to Baku

By Alimat Aliyeva

Kazakhstan and China have launched a test mode of transit cargo transportation to Europe via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TMTM, Middle Corridor) from the Kuryk seaport to Baku, Azernews reports.

"A meeting of the Kazakh-Chinese joint commission on road transport was held in Aktau, within the framework of which, for the first time in history, a trial transit cargo transportation along the China-Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan-Georgia route through the seaports of Kuryk and Baku was launched," the agency reports.

In particular, according to the Ministry of Transport, the first three Chinese trucks weighing 80 tons, which left Urumqi, were loaded onto a ferry at the port of Kuryk on May 23 for further passage to Baku on the route China-Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan-Georgia.

“The agreement signed last year with the Chinese side on road transport has become a key moment of mutually beneficial cooperation, opening up limitless opportunities and prospects for the further development of trade relations. For the first time in the history, vehicles of the two countries have access to directly travel to all major commercial cities of the parties and even make transit through the territories," Ali Altai, Chairman of the Committee on Road Transport and Transport Control of the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan, said at a meeting of the commission.

According to him, hundreds of millions of tons of cargo from China to Western countries are delivered by sea, in terms of up to 52 days, in a smaller volume, goods go by rail – in terms of up to 22 days. Thanks to the use of the Middle Corridor, vehicles can reduce up to 12 days, delivering cargo "door to door" without intermediate loading/ unloading.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route is an international transport corridor running through China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and further to Turkiye and European countries.