Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 7
By Maksim Tsurkov – Trend:
The volume of cargo transportation at the existing section of the international North-South transport corridor is forecasted at the level of 1.5-2 million tons in 2018, Deputy Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Igbal Huseynov told journalists at a briefing in Baku Nov. 7.
He noted that the Azerbaijani section of the corridor from Astara to the Iranian border and the bridge over the Astarachay River are completely ready to be commissioned.
Meanwhile, railroad bed has been laid from the bridge to the terminal in Iran’s Astara. In this direction the work continues, said Huseynov.
“It is planned to officially open four terminals for container, general cargo, transported by universal rolling stock, oil and grain cargoes. It is planned to open this connecting branch on the Iranian territory in late December,” he added.
At the first stage, it is planned to limit to two terminals - container and general cargo, noted the deputy chairman.
The International North-South Transport Corridor is meant to connect Northern Europe with Southeast Asia. It will serve as a link connecting the railways of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia. At the initial stage, it is planned to transport 5 million tons of cargo per year through the corridor and over 10 million tons of cargo in the future.