Baku: Azerbaijan Railways CJSC has reported notable progress in its collaboration with China’s railway administration, highlighting a marked increase in freight transportation between the two countries.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Azerbaijan sent its first container block train to China last year and received over 350 trains in return.

The year 2023 saw a total of 358 block trains dispatched via the China-Central Asia-Azerbaijan route. Of these, 146 trains carried transit cargo amounting to 15,292 TEU, while 212 trains transported imported goods totaling 20,956 TEU. The transported cargo included medical supplies, vehicles, bicycles, motorcycles, water pumps, and various food and non-food items.

Plans are underway to further expand this cooperation, with an aim to increase the number of block trains from China to Azerbaijan and Europe more than threefold by 2025, reaching 1,000 trains annually. Azerbaijan’s infrastructure capacity supports the feasibility of this ambitious goal.

The enhanced freight transportation between China and Azerbaijan plays a crucial role in establishing the Middle Corridor as a significant East-West-East route. This development promises fast, safe, and efficient services for cargo owners in both directions.