Kazakhstan plans to sign an intergovernmental agreement with Azerbaijan on cooperation in the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TMT or Middle Corridor).
This was reported by Trend with reference to the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan.
“The participating countries will continue to work together to develop the route, increase its attractiveness to international shippers and increase its capacity. Thus, in order to raise the institutional status of the TMT, a draft intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the development of the TMT has been drawn up with Azerbaijan. It is planned to be signed in the near future,” the ministry said in a statement.
It is noted that over the past seven years, the volume of traffic on the TMT has increased fivefold, from 0.8 to 4.5 million tonnes per year. By the end of 2025, approximately 77,000 TEU will have been transported along this route. The plan for 2029 is 300,000 TEU.
It should be recalled that the Middle Corridor is a transport and trade route passing through a number of countries in the region and connecting Asia with Europe. It serves as an alternative to the traditional Northern and Southern corridors.
The route begins in China and runs through the countries of Central Asia. It then crosses the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, before entering Europe. The Middle Corridor is a land route that bypasses longer sea routes, connecting the eastern regions of Asia, including China, with Europe.
