BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 26. The Middle Corridor is gradually moving beyond the traditional concept of a transport route between Asia and Europe. Growing cargo volumes, shorter delivery times, the development of port and railway infrastructure, the introduction of digital solutions and new logistics services are turning the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route into a comprehensive economic ecosystem.
This process is particularly important for Azerbaijan. The country is located at the center of the Caspian-Caucasus segment of the route, connecting Central Asia with Georgia, Türkiye and European markets. Therefore, the development of the Middle Corridor creates opportunities for Azerbaijan not only to increase transit traffic, but also to attract investment, develop logistics and expand trade and economic ties.
From a route between regions to an economic platform
Today, the Middle Corridor connects China, the countries of Central Asia, the Caspian region, the South Caucasus, Türkiye and Europe. Its importance is growing as companies and governments seek a more diversified and resilient system of international supply chains.
At the same time, the nature of the route itself is gradually changing. While the initial focus was primarily on moving cargo, the Middle Corridor is now developing a broader range of services, including multimodal transportation, port handling, container logistics, railway services, warehousing solutions and digital support.
This is why the Middle Corridor is increasingly being described as an economic corridor rather than simply a transport route. In an article, Alexi Alexishvili, president of consulting company PMCG, notes that economic corridors can not only move goods, but also stimulate investment, industrial development, integration into global supply chains and job creation.
This approach is particularly relevant for the countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia, which can use their geographical position to expand economic cooperation with China and European markets.
Growing cargo volumes show the changing scale
The dynamics of recent years demonstrate that interest in the route is becoming increasingly practical. According to data cited in an exclusive interview with Trend by Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Trade and Integration Asset Nusupov, cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor increased more than fivefold from 2022 to 2025. In 2025, total cargo transportation reached 4.5–4.7 million tons, while container traffic amounted to 76,900 TEUs, up 36% year-on-year.
Positive dynamics have continued in 2026. In the first quarter, 125 container trains traveled along the route, up 34.4% compared with the same period last year. The Xi’an–Alat Port route has shown particularly strong growth: 85 trains traveled along it in the first three months of the year, twice as many as a year earlier. At the same time, delivery times have fallen significantly. Whereas transportation along this route previously took 28–32 days, the timeframe has now been reduced to around 11–13 days. This is one of the most important indicators of the Middle Corridor’s development: the route is becoming not only more in demand, but also faster.
Azerbaijan strengthens its role as key logistics hub
Against this backdrop, Azerbaijan’s role as a central link between the Caspian Sea and the South Caucasus is becoming increasingly important. The Alat Port, railway infrastructure, international highways and the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway provide a comprehensive foundation for further growth in cargo flows.
In an exclusive interview with Trend, PMCG representatives previously highlighted Azerbaijan’s strategic importance for the Middle Corridor. According to the company, the country plays an important role not only because of its geographical location, but also due to the development of railway connectivity, port infrastructure and regional coordination.
The connection between the Port of Baku at Alat on the Caspian Sea and the Georgian ports of Poti and Batumi is particularly important. Through this system, cargo flows gain access to the Black Sea and subsequently to European markets. Azerbaijan is therefore becoming not merely a transit territory, but a fully-fledged logistics hub where different modes of transport converge.
The Caspian segment is becoming part of an integrated logistics system
The development of the Middle Corridor is increasingly based on multimodality. Railway transportation is complemented by maritime and road services, allowing different delivery options to be developed depending on the destination and type of cargo.
A notable example is the first multimodal shipment of mineral fertilizers from Ekibastuz to the UK via the Middle Corridor. The cargo traveled through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and Georgia, after which it was shipped from the ports of Poti and Batumi to the British port of Felixstowe. This example demonstrates how the Middle Corridor is gradually becoming a practical instrument for Central Asian producers seeking access to European markets. For Azerbaijan, this means greater importance for Caspian infrastructure and the development of additional services around transit flows.
Europe is getting closer
Another important trend is the expansion of the Middle Corridor’s European geography. Liliana Krutonog, CEO of Czech international transport and logistics company MALBI-trans, told Trend in an exclusive interview about plans to develop transportation via the Romanian port of Constanta.
The company considers Constanta one of its priority destinations and, together with Carpatica Feroviar, is working on new logistics projects. These include plans to organize trains from Prague, Brno, Ostrava and other major Czech logistics centers to Constanta, followed by delivery of cargo to Poti or Batumi, then across the Caspian Sea to Aktau and Kazakhstan.
Thus, a new geography of the Middle Corridor is emerging. It is no longer simply connecting China and Europe in general terms, but specific production and logistics centers stretching from Central Asia to the Czech Republic, Romania and the UK. This significantly increases the economic importance of the route.
Digitalization becomes the next stage of development
Alongside physical infrastructure, the digital component of the corridor is also developing. Kazakhstan and Georgia have agreed to launch an electronic permit exchange system for international road freight transportation.
Testing of the e-Permit platform began on July 22, 2026. The system will allow carriers to submit and verify permits electronically, creating a more convenient environment for international road transportation.
Following the full launch, Kazakhstan and Georgia plan to move to an unlimited permit regime for bilateral road freight transportation. The establishment of a technical monitoring group will allow the two countries to coordinate data exchange between transport and customs authorities.
This process is part of the broader digital transformation of the Middle Corridor. The goal is to create a unified digital environment that will allow carriers, ports, railways, customs authorities and other participants to access information on cargo movements and coordinate operations more quickly. For an international route crossing several countries and using different modes of transport, such digital integration is of strategic importance.
Kazakhstanand Azerbaijan are building a new transport link
The development of the Middle Corridor is also strengthening bilateral ties between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev, during a meeting with Kazakhstan’s Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Assel Zhanassova, discussed further cooperation in transport, logistics and digital infrastructure.
Particular attention was paid to enhancing the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor, developing port and transport infrastructure, expanding digital platforms, simplifying road freight transportation and implementing a new ferry service project. In other words, cooperation between the two countries is gradually moving beyond individual transportation operations and taking on a comprehensive character. Kazakhstan is developing the eastern part of the Caspian segment, while Azerbaijan is developing the western part. Together, they form a key link between Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
The Middle Corridor opens up new investment opportunities
Growing cargo volumes inevitably increase demand for new terminals, warehouses, logistics centers and services. This is where a transport route begins to evolve into an economic platform.
In an exclusive comment to Trend, PMCG representatives noted that the Middle Corridor creates significant opportunities for foreign investment in port infrastructure, railway logistics hubs and value-added services within supply chains.
According to the company, international interest in diversifying supply chains and developing critical mineral resources further enhances the investment attractiveness of the region. For Azerbaijan, this means an opportunity to develop new business areas around its transport infrastructure.
A logistics center can combine not only transportation and storage, but also sorting, packaging, document processing, insurance, trade finance and other services. As a result, each additional cargo shipment can generate a significantly greater economic impact than a simple transit operation.
From transit to industrial cooperation
The next stage in the development of the Middle Corridor could involve expanding production and trade ties among the countries along the route. Central Asia has significant raw material reserves and growing production capacity. China is one of the world’s largest production and export centers. Europe represents a major market with strong demand for various categories of goods.
An increasingly dense network of connections is emerging between these economies, while the Middle Corridor provides the infrastructure necessary for expanding them. This is why the importance of the Middle Corridor may be measured not only by the number of tons and containers transported. Its longer-term value lies in its ability to stimulate trade, investment and cooperation among companies in different countries.
International organizations also see the region’s potential
International organizations are also providing positive assessments of the Middle Corridor’s prospects. In an exclusive comment to Trend, the OECD noted that the development of the Middle Corridor offers broad opportunities to strengthen trade links between Europe and Asia.
The organization emphasized that improving infrastructure, developing border procedures and deepening regional cooperation could contribute to the creation of more efficient and resilient trade routes. At the same time, the OECD views Kazakhstan as an important platform for developing Eurasian transport connectivity and cooperation with Central Asian countries. In the longer term, the Middle Corridor could become part of a broader economic transformation of the region, bringing together transport, energy, trade, digitalization and investment.
Why it matters now
Global trade is gradually becoming more flexible and multilayered. Companies are increasingly considering multiple logistics routes simultaneously, while governments seek to develop infrastructure connecting them with the world’s largest markets. Against this backdrop, the Middle Corridor has a historic opportunity to establish itself as part of the new architecture of Eurasian trade.
This opportunity is particularly significant for Azerbaijan. The country has port infrastructure on the Caspian Sea, railway connections with Georgia and Türkiye, a developed transport network and a geographical position that enables it to connect Central Asia with Europe.
With further growth in cargo flows, this creates the basis for establishing a major regional logistics and trade hub around Azerbaijan. The Middle Corridor is gradually transforming from a route connecting two points on a map into a large-scale economic system around which new trade links, investment projects and logistics services are emerging.
For Azerbaijan, this creates an opportunity to strengthen its role as one of Eurasia’s major transport and logistics centers. For the Middle Corridor itself, the next step is no longer simply to increase the volume of cargo transported, but to become a space where these cargo flows generate new investment, trade and economic activity. This is where its greatest potential for the coming years lies.
