ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 29. Kazakhstan and China will reduce the transit time of goods along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor) by half, Trend reports.
Corresponding measures are provided for in the Agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan and China on the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, which was ratified today by the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan. The agreement was signed in Beijing on October 17, 2023.
The purpose of the document is the development of multimodal transport along the Middle Corridor. To achieve this, it is proposed to use the advantages of road, sea, and rail transport, which will create favorable conditions for the transportation of goods across the territories of Kazakhstan and China.
Currently, the transit time for transit cargo from China to Europe is 19–23 days, of which through the territory of Kazakhstan – 6 days, and cargo flow – 6 million tons. As part of the agreement, it is planned to increase cargo traffic to 10 million tons by 2027; the total speed of cargo passage from China to Europe will be 12–13 days.
The agreement also provides for the reduction of administrative barriers by automating the process of declaring "end-to-end" transit. For this purpose, a digital transport corridor program has been launched (a sales window for logistics and forwarding services on the TITR route).
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.