BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 24. Bank card payment system will be tested on several routes of public transport in Baku starting next month, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan Rahman Hummatov said this week at the presentation of "Mobility Transformation Program in Azerbaijan", Trend reports.
He noted that after the tests, it is planned to proceed to the initial implementation of the new payment system at the end of the first quarter of next year.
Hummatov also informed about ready plans for public transportation in Azerbaijan's liberated lands, including Lachin district (the Lachin-Zabukh direction). The first regular bus routes to Shusha and Aghdam were launched on January 24, 2022.
Besides, speaking at the above presentation, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency Anar Rzayev briefed on plans of reducing the use of private cars in the city center and improving infrastructure within the framework of a transition to the concept of a city for residents, meeting the tasks to rank Baku among the best 30 cities.
Hummatov also said that the number of electrobuses will be increased in Baku next year, which is one of the crucial tasks of Ministry of Digital Development and Transport in connection with the Azerbaijani capital's hosting COP29 [the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change] in November 2024.
Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov said at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS in Moscow this week that Azerbaijan continues to modernize its transport and logistics infrastructure, which is actively used by many of its CIS partners.
He added that Azerbaijan actively develops the East-West and North-South transport corridors.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a long-term loan to Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO), although the amount of $60 million was initially assumed.
Azerbaijan's national flag carrier, AZAL, launched its direct flights from Baku to Beijing.
Flights on this route will be operated twice a week, on Tuesdays and Sundays.
Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said during the Azerbaijani-Turkish Investment Forum in Baku that the construction plan of Kars-Nakhchivan railroad should be considered as a new branch of the Middle Corridor.
Speaking during a panel talk at the Azerbaijani-Turkish Investment Forum, Turkish Deputy Trade Minister Ozgur Volkan Agar said that the Zangezur corridor will play an important role in increasing the volume of bilateral trade between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, and its opening will reduce the distance by 260 kilometers between Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
During the forum, Agar also said that Türkiye expects the implementation of the Kars-Nakhchivan railroad construction project within the next five years.
Besides, during a panel speech at the Azerbaijani-Turkish Investment Forum, Hummatov noted that electronic bill of lading (eBL) will be applied to cargo transportation in Azerbaijan from January 1, 2024.
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Digital Development and Transport has developed a digital information system project concept for transport logistics, covering all processes of cargo flows through Azerbaijan - from the signing of contracts related to the acquisition of documentation, licenses and permits, to the selection of modes of transport.
Head of Azerbaijan's Alat Free Economic Zone (AFEZ) Authority Valeh Alasgarov informed about start of construction of an airport for cargo transportation.
According to him, the first phase of its operation will be launched in early 2025 and the airport will be able to receive/send 500,000 tons of cargo per year.
Upon completion of the second phase in 2026, the transshipment capacity will total 1.5 million tons of cargo, Alasgarov explained.
Cross Border & Multimodal Leader at CEVA Logistics Kelvin Tang said that CEVA Logistics’ plans include developing the potential of the Middle Corridor using the International Road Transport (IRT) system.
Azerbaijan Railways noted that freight transportation along the Middle Corridor from January through November 2023 doubled compared to the same period in 2022 and reached 2.5 million tons.