Baku: Azerbaijan's strategic position at the intersection of Asia and Europe enhances its significance in the East-West and North-South logistics corridors, stated Rovshan Rustamov, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY). Rustamov made these remarks at an international conference titled 'The Role of Ports in Regional Connectivity and Strategic Cooperation,' which took place within the framework of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), as reported by APA-Economics.
According to Azeri-Press news agency, Rustamov emphasized that investments in railways, ports, and international partnerships are essential to reinforcing Azerbaijan's role in global logistics. He highlighted the integration of the Port of Baku and Azerbaijan Railways under a unified management model as a strategic vision implemented by President Ilham Aliyev. This integration, completed last year, aims to enhance operational efficiency by removing barriers between rail and maritime transport, thus accelerating cargo movement and increasing the port's handling capacity. Work on the second development phase of the Port of Baku is underway, with plans to boost the current annual cargo handling capacity by an additional 10 million tonnes, alongside the existing capacity of 15 million tonnes.
Rustamov further noted ongoing efforts to expand container handling capabilities at the Port of Baku. Designed initially for an annual capacity of 100,000 TEUs, this capacity was increased to 150,000 TEUs last year following the integration, with expectations to reach 200,000 TEUs by the end of this year. The target is to achieve a handling capacity of approximately 300,000 TEUs by the end of 2027, contributing significantly to the overall capacity of the Middle Corridor. However, challenges such as the declining water levels of the Caspian Sea and geopolitical tensions along trade routes necessitate enhanced coordination among ports.
The ADY chairman underlined the importance of the CICA conference as a platform for port executives to address these challenges and foster regional connectivity.