BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 24. The share of Azerbaijani national carriers in international traffic has doubled in 2022 compared to 2021, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan Rahman Hummatov said during a meeting with the heads of international road cargo transportation companies, Trend reports.
According to Hummatov, supporting national cargo carriers in obtaining permits is a priority for the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and its structures, which contributes to the growth of exports of products manufactured in Azerbaijan, as well as bilateral and multilateral trade in general.
"Over 4,000 drivers have been trained in driving and meeting international requirements to date. There is a need to train the same number of drivers. They will also pass the relevant exams," he noted.
A total of 84 companies have already applied for permission for international cargo transportation, added the official.
Azerbaijan’s freight traffic by all transport modes grew in 2022 and totaled 218.7 million tons, up by 12.8 percent on annual basis.
A total of 57.6 percent of all cargo was transported by road, 30.2 percent – by pipeline, 8.6 percent – by rail, 3.4 percent – by sea, and 0.2 percent – by air. Last year, cargo movement in the private sector increased by 12.5 percent compared to 2021. The mentioned sector accounted for 78.2 percent of the overall freight transport volume.