Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 7
By Nigar Guliyeva – Trend:
Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted the need to revise the tariff policy in the field of air transportation for the efficient use of country's transport and transit potential, the press service of the president reported.
The president draw the attention to this issue when addressing a meeting devoted to issues of improving activities of international intermodal logistics center “Navoi” on Dec.6.
The analysis of activities of the center showed that, despite the granted benefits, the capabilities of the terminal are not used at full capacity. Less than 20 percent of the capacity of the center, the carrying capacity of which is 100,000 tons of cargo per year, is operated. The existing shortcomings are evidenced by the fact that over the past 8 years only 300,000 tons of cargo have been transported through the “Navoi” airport.
By the end of 2017 the total cargo turnover at the terminal is expected to decrease by 11 percent compared to 2016 or up to 3,000 tons.
Mirziyoyev said that carelessness, irresponsibility of some officials directly responsible for the sphere, their inability to develop the center on the basis of a deeply thought-out strategy became the reason for this situation. Over the years, they have not moved beyond the lofty words about the uniqueness, attractiveness of the airport and the “Navoi” logistics center, he added.
Statistics show that two flights a day are carried out from the center on average. This shows how far the real level of using the logistics center and the airport is from laudatory assessments.
In this regard, Mirziyoyev noted the need to revise the tariff policy in the sphere of air transportation.
"“Navoi” free economic zone should play an important role in increasing the attractiveness of the logistics center, but it also did not give the expected results. Production of neither export-oriented goods with high added value, nor products that are in demand on the domestic market are established. Foreign freighters do not show interest in capabilities of “Navoi” logistics center. The main reason is interruptions in the supply of aviation kerosene. Despite the existing weekly demand of 950 tons, the oil refineries are producing only 600 tons of this fuel," he said.
Due to the lack of coordination of activities on the part of transport companies, multimodal transportation has also not been developed. The terms of delivery of goods are delayed due to long customs procedures and idling vehicles at the border.
there was stressed that local importers are also not interested in receiving their cargo through the “Navoi” hub, because the infrastructure does not meet the requirements. Most of the import cargo is imported through “Tashkent” airport.
Taking this into account, the president gave instructions to the officials of the oil and gas industry on timely and full provision of the requirements of the national airline and foreign freight carriers in aviation kerosene, increasing weekly supplies of fuel, taking into account prices in the world market.
Uzbekistan Airways has been instructed to revise the current tariffs jointly with relevant organizations, to form a working group on their optimal reduction and study the experience of logistics centers. The national airline is intensifying activities on attracting the world’s leading cargo transportation companies to the airport in the city of Navoi, will develop a “road map” envisaging establishment of cooperation with leading foreign companies in the sphere of postal transportation, organization of a regional mail service in “Navoi” hub and providing other measures.
furthermore, the heads of relevant ministries and departments were tasked to establish an electronic information exchange system between the customs authorities and organizations on cargo transportation by airplanes, cardinally improving the activities of “Navoi” logistics center and other issues.
