Azerbaijan, China strengthen transport links with historic cargo transport milestone

ADY Chairman Rovshan Rustamov emphasized that this historical milestone reflects the deepening cooperation between Azerbaijan and China, particularly in boosting the efficiency of the Middle Corridor. The collaboration, which aligns with the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, is expected to further accelerate the flow of cargo along key international transport routes, including the Eurasian Transport Route.

As part of ongoing efforts to transform Azerbaijan into an international transport and logistics hub, ADY is also working on major projects to enhance infrastructure, such as expanding the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line. This expansion will increase the capacity for cargo throughput, with a target of 5 million tons per year.

Xi'an International Port officials, including Sun Yimin and Yuan Xiaojun, highlighted the strategic importance of strengthening cooperation with ADY, aiming to increase the volume of goods traveling along the Middle Corridor. The first export block train from Baku to Xi'an consists of 62 containers, and the plan is to send 15,000 tons (600 containers) of cargo to China by the end of the year.

Since the start of 2024, Azerbaijan has already received 280 container block trains from China, with projections set to increase that number to over 300 by the end of the year. Looking ahead to 2025, the volume of block trains is expected to grow exponentially, with plans to exceed 1,000 trains annually, further cementing the Middle Corridor’s role as a vital link between East and West.