BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 21. Commissioning of new large container ships is expected in the Caspian Sea next year, Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijan Freight Forwarders Association and General Director of U.F.E. Shipping, Elmir Poladov, said at the EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum in Baku on Wednesday, Trend’s correspondent reports from the event.
According to him, the limited availability of vessels in the Caspian Sea, congestion at transshipment points, and insufficient integration of information systems remain the main obstacles to the development of the Middle Corridor.
"The first obstacle relates to the availability of vessels in the Caspian Sea. The capacity of ferries and Ro-Ro vessels is limited, and many vessels depart only after being fully loaded, rather than on a fixed schedule. In addition, storms can halt traffic for several days,” he said.
Poladov cited the situation at the port of Aktau in December and January of last year as an example.
"Over the course of 60 days, the port was operational for only about 10 to 15 days. Because of this, freight forwarders can guarantee their customers rail transit times down to the day, whereas sea transit times can only be predicted with an accuracy of one week. When there are delays at the port, railcars and containers are also forced to sit idle, which leads to additional delays at other stages of transport,” he noted.
The second obstacle, according to Poladov, is the congestion at transshipment points. Delays can occur at every transshipment point between sea, rail, and road transport, as well as when crossing borders.
The situation is complicated by limited capacity at berths, storage yards, and the railcar fleet during periods of peak demand. In addition, when transporting goods to Türkiye, it is necessary to account for the change in rail gauge from 1,520 to 1,435 millimeters.
Another problem is the imbalance in cargo flows and the need to transport empty containers back in the opposite direction.
As Poladov noted, containers arriving from the Far East to Azerbaijan and Europe are often used only to transport cargo in one direction.
“Freight forwarders or carriers have to bear the costs of purchasing them, and after delivering the cargo, they have to look for opportunities to sell or further utilize the containers,” he explained.
The third obstacle, as Poladov pointed out, is the lack of integration between the information systems and procedures of the countries involved in the transport.
“Each country has its own rail operator, its own documents, and its own rates. Often, two identical shipments arrive several days apart, and the reason lies not with the railroad but with the documentation,” he noted.
According to him, customers are also unable to track their cargo along the entire route.
“Freight forwarders can track containers, for example, in China or Kazakhstan, but they cannot always determine exactly when a container will depart from Aktau, arrive in Alat, leave Alat, and continue to Georgia or Türkiye,” Poladov said.
At the same time, he noted that work is already underway to resolve these issues.
According to him, small container feeder vessels operate on the Caspian Sea alongside Ro-Ro ships and ferries. In addition, larger feeder vessels are under construction and are expected to enter service next year.
Poladov also reported that the capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway has been increased to 5 million metric tons, and that the port of Alat is being expanded.
He emphasized that the next step is to ensure the coordinated operation of infrastructure and information systems so that customers can view the Middle Corridor as a single route rather than a collection of separate systems.
Meanwhile, the EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum is taking place in Baku, marking the 30th anniversary of the partnership between the European Union and Azerbaijan, as well as the 10th anniversary of the forum. This year’s event is being held under the theme “Bridging Corridors: Connectivity & Infrastructure.”
The main focus is on developing transport connectivity and infrastructure, strengthening economic cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan, and expanding regional trade and investment.
The forum’s program includes high-level discussions, thematic sessions, and business meetings involving representatives from the public and private sectors.
