BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 2. The increase in the annual cargo capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway from 1 million tons to 5 million tons opens up new opportunities for international freight transport and significantly enhances the route’s competitiveness, Azerbaijani transport expert Rauf Aghamirzayev told Trend.
He added that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is of particular importance in the current geopolitical situation. According to him, the BTK is one of the few land transport routes passing through countries not subject to sanctions, and this is the project’s main strategic value.
The completion of the modernization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway and its full-scale operation further strengthens Azerbaijan’s role in the international transport and logistics system. Increased capacity, expanded competitive advantages of the route, and accelerated freight flows along the Middle Corridor make the BTK one of the most strategic transport projects in the region.
Fast and reliable logistics are not limited to the availability of infrastructure. To this end, it is important to simplify border crossing procedures, harmonize standards among participating countries, and implement digital solutions.
In his view, integrating the Middle Corridor, from the Chinese border to the borders of the European Union, into a single digital logistics system will further enhance the corridor’s efficiency. However, since the technical capabilities and standards of the countries involved vary in this regard, coordination must be strengthened.
The expert believes that strengthening Azerbaijan’s position in the Middle Corridor is a natural process. This is due to the country’s important geographical location in the region from a geopolitical standpoint and its key role in ensuring transport links in various directions: “The modernization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and the expansion of transport capacity further enhance Azerbaijan’s transit potential. At the same time, coordinated efforts by all corridor participants to increase cargo volumes, reduce transit times, and improve logistics services remain crucial.
As a result of the modernization work carried out, the BTK is already demonstrating the potential to become one of the main transport arteries in the Eurasian space, moving away from its status as an alternative route for the region,” the expert added.
Meanwhile, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) is an 827-kilometer international railway connecting Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye. As a crucial segment of the Middle Corridor, it provides a fast, continuous freight and passenger link between Asia and Europe, bypassing Russian territory to revolutionize Eurasian overland transport.
