BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 23. The two-day Multimodal Transport and Transit Forum organized by the RDL (Research Development Learning) international group of companies has started in Tbilisi, with themes related to the development of the Middle Corridor, or Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), the head of RDL Group Roman Dedkov told Trend.
The key discussion topics include:
- situation in the freight market and transit of goods through the Black Sea region;
- transcontinental and regional routes, the utilization of transport corridors, growth prospects;
- trade forecasts in the Black Sea region;
- role of the countries of the Black Sea region in the development of the Middle Corridor;
- modernization of infrastructure of the countries of the Black Sea region (measures for railways and ports);
- interaction with the EU and South Caucasus countries;
- port development considering 'green' technological trends.
Speakers at the forum have included representatives from the Maersk international company, Irakliy Danelia, the President of the International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport (UIRR), Ralf-Charley Schultze, a member of the Public Council at the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan, Kanat Kobessov, and the Chairman of the Georgian Logistics Association, Giorgi Doborjginidze.
According to Dedkov, interest in freight transit through the Black and Caspian Seas is growing, and it's important to address such interest promptly to increase freight traffic.
It was recognized that Georgian ports have reached their container handling capacity limits, and work is needed to increase their throughput capacity.
"The speakers also discussed the link between port operations and the railway between the Caspian and Black Seas, emphasizing the need for development of the railway segment of the Middle Corridor. Discussions on route development are ongoing," Dedkov noted.
The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern Corridor and Southern Corridor.
The route starts in China and crosses Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then passes through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching Europe.
The Middle Corridor offers a land route that connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe, bypassing the longer maritime routes.
