BAKU, Azerbaijan, September
25. The transit time along the Middle Corridor is
planned to be reduced to 10–12 days, Deputy Chairman of the Board
of Kazakhstan Railways Yerlan Koishibayev said at a panel
discussion titled “Azerbaijan at the Center of South
Caucasus–Central Asia Strategic Partnerships: The Key Driver of
Regional Cooperation” within the framework of the 2nd Azerbaijan
International Investment Forum held in Baku today, Trend‘s correspondent
reports from the event.
He noted that the development of the Middle Corridor involves
more than just creating an alternative transport route.
“It entails establishing a reliable, competitive, sustainable,
and integrated logistics system connecting China, Central Asia, the
Caspian region, and Europe,” the official explained.
According to him, the partnership between Kazakhstan and
Azerbaijan holds special significance in this context.
“I would like to highlight the key areas that will determine the
future potential of the Middle Corridor. First is the established
and growing demand for the route. In 2025, container transit along
the Middle Corridor reached 40,000 TEUs, marking a 15% increase
compared to 2024. Looking at the last three years, container
transit from China along the Middle Corridor has increased
38-fold.
Second, our task today is not merely to make the corridor
faster, but – above all – to make it more predictable, efficient,
and sustainable,” he said.
Koishibayev added that, in cooperation with China Railways,
block-train services are also being developed to help reduce
delivery times.
“Currently, transporting a container from China to Europe via
the Middle Corridor takes 13–17 days, whereas the maritime route
takes 30–45 days. Our goal is to ensure a stable transit time of
10–12 days. That is precisely why we are working on fixed tariffs,
a unified digital platform, and the synchronization of operations
along the entire route,” he emphasized.
The second Azerbaijan International Investment Forum is being
held in Baku.
The two-day forum is organized by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of
Economy and its subordinate Azerbaijan Export and Investment
Promotion Agency (AZPROMO), in strategic partnership with European
House – Ambrosetti.
Plenary and panel sessions at the event will address strategic
issues including the Middle Corridor, energy and the green
transition, artificial intelligence and digital transformation,
infrastructure, industry and free economic zones, critical raw
materials, agribusiness, financial cooperation, small and
medium-sized business development, tourism, real estate and
investment in human capital.
