BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 10. The amount of transit freight making its way through Azerbaijan along the North-South corridor hit 814,000 tons in 2024, showing a jump of over 28 percent compared to the same stretch in 2023, Trend reports via the Azerbaijan Railways CJSC.
"For the development of the strategically important North-South corridor, which has significant transit potential for connecting Northern Europe, Russia, and the Indian Ocean, Azerbaijan significantly expanded its cooperation with neighboring countries and international financial institutions in 2024.
In December of 2024, an agreement was signed between Azerbaijan and Russia to enhance cooperation on the North-South corridor, aiming to boost transit freight traffic, including by rail. The agreement focuses on defining the terms for developing railway infrastructure and transit transportation, as well as increasing the capacity of the Western route of the corridor. The partnership is expected to encourage the use of rail transport for new freight, as well as balance the growth of traffic volumes with the development of railway infrastructure.
In parallel, Azerbaijan Railways leadership visited Iran, where they met with representatives of the country's railway sector in December. The meeting covered timelines and phases for the development of the terminal in the Iranian city of Astara, which is set to be completed by the end of 2025, as well as new areas of cooperation and funding plans. Special attention was given to expanding the activities of the ‘South Cargo Terminal’ LLC, which operates the terminals in both Azerbaijan and Iran.
Azerbaijan Railways has been pulling out all the stops to broaden the North-South corridor. Back in September of last year, a deal was struck with the Asian Development Bank for a cool $131.5 million to give the Sumgayit-Yalama railway line a much-needed facelift.
In 2024, Azerbaijan Railways completed the reconstruction of the ‘Astara’ cargo terminal in Azerbaijan, which improved the speed and efficiency of freight transport along the North-South corridor. A rapid customs and border service was also established in the area. The reconstruction included modernizing the warehouse to meet contemporary standards, equipping the terminal with necessary machinery and surveillance cameras, and setting up a customs checkpoint with scales and high-speed internet for determining cargo weight.
The terminal offers new opportunities for freight forwarding companies by providing multimodal transport services with preferential tariffs. As a result, transit freight volumes through the North-South corridor increased by 10-15 percent by the end of the year.
Once the Astara-Rasht railway line is operational, the full potential of the terminal will be realized, further increasing transport volumes," the CJSC said.