ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 14. A seminar on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor) and logistics was held in the Mangystau region of Kazakhstan, Trend reports.
The meeting participants, including the ambassadors of Thailand, Indonesia, and the deputy ambassador of Vietnam, discussed trade opportunities with member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
During the seminar, Venera Mustapaeva, the head of the department of industrial and innovative development of the Mangystau region, noted that today, the region has a powerful transit, transport, and logistics potential of international importance between Europe and Asia.
"An important object of maritime transport infrastructure is the ice-free seaport of Aktau on the Caspian Sea, which is located at the junction of the international corridors TRACECA, North - South, TITR and China - Europe," she said.
According to her, at the end of 2023, the foreign trade turnover of the Mangystau region amounted to $4.7 billion.
"Exports amounted to $4 billion, and imports - $744 million. The main type of exported goods was oil and petroleum products," she said.
In turn, Thai Ambassador Chatchawan Sakornsin noted that the kingdom is interested in the Middle Corridor.
"Based on the latest geopolitical and geoeconomic situations, we are looking for new alternative ways to transport goods from Thailand. And our attention was drawn to the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route," the ambassador said.
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.
The Middle Corridor offers a land route that connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe, bypassing the longer maritime routes.