BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 28. In the case of the development of an additional overland branch and the Uzbek connection to the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR or Middle Corridor), the delivery time of goods can be shortened by 2 to 3 times compared to the current sea transportation from South Asia to the EU, Deputy Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan Mamanbiy Omarov told Trend.
He noted that improving the transport infrastructure, optimizing routes, and ensuring favorable conditions, as well as including the provision of tariff preferences and the introduction of digital solutions for the unification of the transport document, can significantly reduce the delivery time and the share of costs in the transportation of goods.
"These measures can in turn stimulate trade growth and have a beneficial effect on the state of the economies of the countries involved. However, in order to achieve these goals, active cooperation of all countries through which the routes pass is necessary," he stressed.
In addition, Omarov noted that Uzbekistan is currently pursuing an active policy on the formation of additional new alternative corridors at the intersection of two major North –South and West-East trade routes.
"Uzbekistan is actively promoting the initiative to organize cargo transportation along the new Belarus – Russia – Uzbekistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan multimodal transport corridor with access to the ports of the Indian Ocean. It is planned to carry out transportation by mixed modes of transport – from railway stations of the CIS countries to Afghanistan, then through Afghanistan by road with access to Pakistan and ports of the Indian Ocean," he said.
Further speaking, deputy minister added that in 2022, the volume of transit cargo transportation of Uzbekistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan more than doubled, amounting to more than 600,000 tons.
"Moreover, cargo transportation in the China–Europe direction is developing rapidly, as in 2022, the volume of cargo transportation in this direction amounted to more than 220 million tons. At the same time, more than 96 percent of all cargo in the China–Europe direction is transported by sea.
To date, there is a large workload of the world's main ports, and therefore the actual delivery time to cargo owners is significantly increasing. Accordingly, there is a huge potential in reorienting routes from the sea mode of transport to land - rail and road, developing new alternative multimodal land transport corridors," he explained.
Meanwhile, on November 1 of 2023, within the framework of the 1st Transport Forum of the SCO member states, the Ministries of Transport of Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan signed a Memorandum on the creation of a new Belarus - Russia - Kazakhstan – Uzbekistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan transport corridor.
The Middle Corridor, a transportation and trade pathway, links Asia and Europe as it traverses numerous countries within the region. It provides an alternative to the conventional Northern and Southern Corridors.
Beginning in China, it spans across Central Asian nations like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Subsequently, it extends through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching the European continent.
This strategic Middle Corridor offers a land-based connection between the eastern regions of Asia, including China, and Europe, offering a shorter path compared to lengthy maritime routes.