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Railway Traffic to Georgian Black Sea Ports Resumed

Oil&Gas Materials 26 August 2008 17:17 (UTC +04:00)
Railway Traffic to Georgian Black Sea Ports Resumed

Azerbaijan, Baku, 26 August / Trend corr. E.Ismayilov / The trains traffic with oil-loading cargo via the Georgian railway to the Black Sea ports has been resumed partially this week. The railway traffic had been suspended in the mid of August due to the explosion on the railway bridge near the Caspian city.

The traffic via the alternative railway bridge, which has been repaired soon after the explosion that broke out near the Caspian city, was commenced at night on 25 August, the terminal owned by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) in the Georgian Kulevi port, reported. The railway traffic has been resumed earlier; however the transport was suspended again due to the blast which occurred near the Gori city on 24 August. The cargo transport via the alternative bridge was resumed on 25 August.

"Three trains with oil products were delivered to Kulevi port. Other two trains are expected to be delivered until the end of the day," is said from the terminal.

The Georgian Batumi port has also confirmed the fact that the railway traffic in the Black Sea direction had been restored partially. "The transport is being carried out in small quantities, as well as the number of trains was reduced due to unsteadiness of the alternative bridge," is stated from port.

Georgian and Azerbaijani specialists held repairs on the bridge within several days. The railway is an old one and was constructed in 1901. Initially, the specialists excluded the possibility to transport large-capacity trains via the bridge. However, later, they took a decision to implement transportation via the bridge.

A news-service of the Georgian Railway told Trend that the railway traffic had been resumed. "Both dry and oil-loading cargo is transported via the railway," Georgian Railway said.

The dry and oil-loading cargo transportation via the railway was suspended due to the blast that took place on the bridge on 16 August. Repairs on the bridge are still continued. "Repairs on the bridge are expected to be completed within seven or ten days," Georgian Railway reported.

The correspondent can be contacted at: [email protected]

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