Review of transport sector in Azerbaijan (January-October 2013)

The Azerbaijani transport sector transported 179.9 million tons of cargo in January-October 2013 or 3.2 percent more than in January-October 2012. Around 74.9 percent of the total volume of goods transported in January-October fell to the private sector, the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee said.

Some 57.3 percent of all cargo were transported by vehicles, 26.6 percent - by pipelines, 10.7 percent - by railway and 5.4 percent - by ships.

Over 1.42 billion people used passenger transport in January-October, which is 7.8 percent more than the same period of 2012. Most of the passengers were transported by vehicles (87.9 percent) and metro (11.8 percent).

Automobile transport takes the lion share in the transport field of the country. Some 103 million tons of cargo were transported by vehicles, which is 6 percent more than in January-October 2012. The volume of passenger traffic exceeded 1.25 billion people (an 8.1 percent growth). Some 96.2 percent of the passengers were transported by buses and 3.8 percent - by cars.

Freight turnover by vehicles increased by 6.1 percent during the reporting period, while passenger turnover - by 9 percent.

Some 19.2 million tons of cargo were transported by rail in January-October or by 0.9 percent more than in January-October 2012.

The number of loaded carriages made up 660, in average per day and unloaded - 590. Average daily load of carriages in the northern direction is 24,800 tons and in western direction 6,400 tons and southern direction - 5,900 tons.

Around 9.8 million tons of cargo were transported by ships. All cargo accounted for international operations. The volume of goods handled in Azerbaijani ports in January-October amounted to 10.3 million tons.

Some 56.4 percent of cargo shipping fell to oil and oil products, while 43.6 percent on dry cargo. The volume of international transit cargo handled in the ports in January-October hit 84.5 percent. As of November 1, 2013, around 91,900 tons of cargo left in the ports for import or 31.3 percent more than in 2012.

Some 36.2 million tons of oil were transported via oil pipelines in January-October. During this period, 75 percent or 27.4 million tons of oil were transported via the BTC (data provided by the State Statistics Committee). Sangachal terminal transported 2.4 million tons of Turkmen oil via BTC in January-October.

Gas transportation via gas pipelines made up 16.2 billion cubic meters in January-October. Some 23.6 percent of the transported gas fell to the South Caucasus Pipeline. Some 3.8 billion cubic meters of gas were transported via this pipeline.

Some 1.42 million passengers were transported by air transport, which is 4.3 percent more than in January-October 2012. Some 0.5 percent of shipment by this kind of transport fell to private sector. The volume of cargo transportation by air hit 96,800 tons in January-October increasing by 1.7 times.

Some 168.7 million people were transported by metro (a 5.8 percent growth) compared to the same period of last year.

Some 43.9 million tons of cargo were transported through the Eurasian transport corridor through the territory of Azerbaijan in January-September, which is 4.3 percent more than in January-September 2012.

Around 46.5 percent of the total volume of transported cargo fell to motor transport, 36 percent - railway and 17.5 percent - ships.

Some 213.2 million people were transported through the corridor during this period, which is 9.4 percent more than in January-September 2012.

According to the forecasts, the volume of cargo transported in Azerbaijan accounted for 245.3 million tons in 2014 compared to 222.8 million tons expected this year, according to the draft state budget.

Most of cargo transportation will fall to motor transport and pipeline.

A summary table of the cargo transportation by kinds of transport for 2012-2017 (million tons)