Baku-Tbilisi-Kars cargo transportation starts

On May 20, a train of 20 containers was sent to Georgia. Azernews reports that his was stated by Emil Ahmadov, head of the cargo transportation department of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY) Emil Ahmadov (ADY).

He noted that the 184-kilometer section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, which is considered an important segment of the Middle Corridor, has already been completed. From today (May 20), cargo transportation on the BTQ railway line will be started.

"According to the relevant document signed between the governments of Azerbaijan and Georgia, a joint venture is about to be established for the purpose of managing the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway. Currently, work is being done in the direction of preparing the business model of the joint enterprise with an international consulting company. The goal is to increase the cargo volume and develop the BTQ line," said E. Ahmadov.

According to him, the main work of the joint venture is the implementation of all works related to the project, determination of tariffs for cargo transportation, transportation of cargo and solving of operational issues as a whole.

The head of the department added that ADY regularly organizes on-site meetings with entrepreneurs for carrying out cargo transportation between Central Asian and European countries through the Middle Corridor, and establishes close cooperation with railway administrations and transport companies of the mentioned countries. At the same time, a close relationship is established with cargo operators in Europe for the transportation of cargo from European countries to Central Asia through the Middle Corridor.

"In recent years, there has been a significant increase in transit cargo transportation by rail. For example, in 2019, 3.8 million tons of transit cargo was transported, and in 2023, this figure reached 6.8 million tons. Compared to the first four months of last year, the volume of transit cargo transported in January-April this year increased by 14 percent. In the first quarter of this year, we carried 10 percent more transit cargo on the East-West corridor, of which BTQ is a part," he stressed.