BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 20. Up to 1,000 container trains could be dispatched annually from China along the Middle Corridor, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways (AR) Rovshan Rustamov stated, Trend reports.
Rustamov made the announcement during a press briefing following a meeting of the heads of railway administrations of 7 countries aimed at creating the International Association "Eurasian Transport Route".
The Chairman noted that in the first 8 months of this year, 212 block trains were sent from China via the Middle Corridor, equating to 420 thousand tons of cargo, highlighting the route's significant potential.
He reminded attendees that in March this year, the first container train from the Chinese port of Xi'an reached Baku in just 11 days.
"On average, trains travel from China to Azerbaijan within 8-10 days and reach Georgian ports in 12 days," Rustamov stated.
According to him, around 300 container trains are expected to be dispatched from China via the Middle Corridor by the end of this year.
The AR chairman emphasized the need for a branch of the Middle Corridor on the eastern side of the Caspian Sea, which traverses through China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye, incorporating railway, road, and maritime routes.
“To enhance the appeal and competitiveness of this multimodal route, efficient coordination, and overall route development, it is essential to establish a collegial body—the International Association 'Eurasian Transport Route.' This will be created after addressing procedural matters,” he added.