BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 10. Azerbaijan's Ministry of Digital Development and Transport has commented on reforms being implemented under the Middle Corridor, highlighting faster cargo transportation as one of the key results.
The ministry said shipments along the China-Europe route, which took 38-53 days several years ago, now take an average of 12 days.
“The reduction in transit times was supported by the introduction of electronic permit systems, e-TIR and e-CMR digital solutions, real-time cargo tracking, the simplification of customs and border procedures, and faster information exchange between government agencies,” the ministry said.
Azerbaijan has implemented a number of major projects in this area, including increasing the annual capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway to 5 million tons, modernizing border checkpoints, electrifying and upgrading the railway network, building and restoring highways, and developing airport infrastructure.
The ministry said another important step was the creation of the “Single Window” Information System — a Digital Logistics Platform. The platform speeds up document processing, simplifies procedures and creates a more flexible logistics ecosystem for businesses. The next stage envisages integrating the platform with similar systems in Middle Corridor partner countries.
The Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, together with international partners, is also working on the phased introduction of modern digital transport tools such as e-CMR, e-Permit and the electronic waybill system e-CIM/SMGS.
“Azerbaijan is actively cooperating with Middle Corridor partner countries to strengthen transport links, optimize border procedures and expand digital data exchange.
The modernization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and expansion of its capacity, the signing of contracts to purchase new modern passenger and freight cars, stronger coordination among Caspian ports and joint projects under the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route are aimed at improving the reliability and competitiveness of the route,” the ministry said.
Azerbaijan is cooperating with all countries along the Middle Corridor to synchronize the development of transport infrastructure and improve the efficiency of freight transportation, according to the ministry.
“To this end, a number of bilateral and multilateral road maps, agreements and memorandums of understanding have been signed to coordinate joint infrastructure projects, develop transport links and improve the efficiency of transportation.
Work is also underway to prepare a multilateral agreement that will be an important step toward the further development and institutional strengthening of the Middle Corridor,” the ministry said.
The Middle Corridor is a transport and trade route connecting Asia with Europe through Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye. It serves as an alternative to the traditional Northern and Southern corridors and provides a land-based link between China and Europe.
