BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 22
By Sadraddin Aghjayev - Trend:
The determination of a systematic approach to the formation of tariffs for transportation is one of the priority tasks within the TRACECA International Transport Corridor, TRACECA told Trend.
It is planned to develop the approaches to determining competitive tariffs in the format of a working group.
"The methodology envisages the calculation of tariffs for the carriage of goods in large-capacity universal containers via the railways of the member-states as part of the Basic Multilateral Agreement on International Transport for the Development of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia Corridor and also determines the maximum values for tariffs which are used in seaports and sea carriers," TRACECA stressed.
Moreover, the implementation of information technologies, including e-data exchange based on the blockchain system, the process of coordinating the measures to digitalize the transportation process, the issues of regulating the institutional framework and recommendations on "soft" infrastructure, analysis and the work to attract transit cargo flows were discussed in TRACECA.
The main directions for the implementation of TRACECA initiatives aimed at improving the border crossing procedures, introducing the e-documents, coordinating the requirements for vehicles in relation to their sizes and development of container cargo transportation were stressed.
Secretary General of TRACECA Permanent Secretariat Intergovernmental Commission in Azerbaijan Asset Assavbayev stressed the special significance of the document on the agreed conditions for the carriage of goods during the pandemic, as well as the implementation of the agreement on a single transit permit to liberalize the transportation process and increase the competitiveness of the corridor.
According to the subsidiary company of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC - ADY Container LLC, the first container train running in the direction of China-Azerbaijan, which arrived at the Baku International Sea Trade Port on February 17, 2021, became a new stage in the formation of a new transportation service between the ports of Baku and Qingdao.
The Qingdao port is considered to be the second biggest port in China with the biggest grain and oil terminals in the country. The port shipped one billion tons of cargo in 2019.
The first block train in 2021, moving from China to Georgia through Azerbaijan, has been sent from Baku to Tbilisi, a subsidiary of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, ADY Container LLC, said. The containers arrived in Tbilisi on Feb. 20, 2021.
A mixed-load train covered the distance from the Chinese city of Qingdao to Baku in 15 days.
The subsidiary of the Azerbaijan Railways stressed that the containers were delivered from the Kazakh port of Aktau to the port of Alat (Baku) by the Beket Ata feeder ship, which is operated by the Azerbaijani ADY Container.
By the end of 2021, ADY Container LLC plans to send about 50 container block trains in the direction of China - Azerbaijan.
Moreover, during the outgoing week, an online meeting was held with the WB experts on the topic of logistics assessment as part of the private sector diagnostics.
Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, Major General of the Customs Service Javad Gasimov stressed during the meeting that the reforms being carried out under the leadership of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev recently have created favorable conditions for enhancing human resources, material, technical, regulatory and legal base of customs structures, expanding and development of customs cooperation on an international scale.
While speaking about the development of logistics and trade, including the projects being implemented in this sphere, Gasimov also informed about the work being carried out to create logistics centers, open new customs checkpoints and expand the infrastructure of existing checkpoints, as well as increasing the competitiveness of the transport corridors.
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