BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 19. The World Bank has outlined the primary objectives to achieve in order to improve the capacities of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), Trend reports.
In its recent analysis, the bank identifies that, with the right measures, travel times along the so-called Middle Corridor could be halved, while trade flows may be tripled by 2030.
As such, the key to unlocking this potential are targeted investments and efficiency measures. Here are the top priorities identified by the WB:
- Alleviating congestion in Almaty: constructing a railway bypass to mitigate traffic congestion in Kazakhstan's largest city;
- Border crossing efficiency: establishing a new railway connection between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to reduce wait times and facilitate direct routes for freight transportation;
- Adapting to climate change: upgrading equipment and increasing berth capacity at the Port of Aktau to address challenges posed by declining water levels in the Caspian Sea;
- Improving rolling stock: addressing the shortage of rolling stock, particularly locomotives in Georgia, to enhance transit efficiency and reduce delivery times;
- Enhancing border rail Connections: expanding and modernizing the Akhalkalaki-Turkey border rail connection to enhance operational flexibility and expedite freight movement;
- Expanding maritime handling capacity: Increasing capacity and improving rail connectivity at Georgia's Poti Port to accommodate higher volumes of cargo and reduce transit times;
- Modernizing critical railway lines: urgently modernizing the Sivas-Kars-Georgia border railway line to enhance cargo-carrying capacity and address technical obsolescence;
- Mitigating bottlenecks: developing a higher-capacity railway link across the Bosphorus Strait via Istanbul's Third Bridge to prevent bottlenecking and maintain competitiveness;
- Enhancing connectivity in Romania and Bulgaria: investing in port and rail connectivity to strengthen internal and cross-border trade flows, particularly with Central Europe.
- Streamlining trade facilitation: digitizing customs and border management processes to facilitate efficient information exchange and introduce coordinated, scheduled, and time-definite services.
The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern Corridor and Southern Corridor.
The route starts in China and crosses Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then passes through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching Europe.
The Middle Corridor offers a land route that connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe, bypassing the longer maritime routes.