ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 3. The volume of cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport route in the first quarter of 2024 increased by almost 50 percent compared to the same period in 2023, said Deputy General Director for Logistics of Kazakhstan's KTZ Express Aibek Kapar, Trend reports.
"Providing high-quality service has made it possible to significantly increase cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor. "If we compare the results of the first quarter of 2024 with the same indicators as last year, we can observe a significant increase in cargo transport by an average of 50 percent, both in transit traffic and in export and import traffic," he said.
According to him, the Middle Corridor has become a priority in the company’s logistics strategy.
"Kazakhstan plays a key role, controlling most of the land roads and ports on the Caspian Sea. Along this route, KTZ Express transports grains, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, chemicals, and food products. It takes three days to travel along the land section of the Middle Corridor from Altynkol station to Aktau. In this case, the total turnover, taking into account the return of the railcar, is 9–10 days," Kapar noted.
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.
Bypassing the lengthier maritime routes, the Middle Corridor offers a land link between Europe and eastern Asia, including China.