BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 29. Large investments are being made in the formation of modern transport infrastructure in Turkmenistan, which contributes both to the comprehensive development of the regions and to the economic prosperity of the country as a whole, Trend reports.
Below is a summary of what was going on in Turkmenistan's transport sector in 2022.
State initiatives
Changes in fees charged upon entry and transit through Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan made changes to the fees charged upon entry and transit through its territory from October 1, 2022. In order to create favorable and competitive conditions for transportation of export-import and transit goods by road, as well as to increase efficiency of transport and transit crossings on the territory of Turkmenistan, changes have been made to the fees and payments levied from owners of vehicles of foreign states at the entrance through checkpoints on state borders of Turkmenistan.
Permission for transit passage of foreign vehicles via new route
Turkmenistan started allowing the passage of foreign vehicles through its territory from Uzbekistan to Iran and in the opposite direction from June 25. Foreign cars together with drivers are allowed to cross the border along the following route: Lotfabad checkpoint (Iran) - Artyk (Turkmenistan) - Farap checkpoint (Turkmenistan) - Alat (Uzbekistan) - Artyk checkpoint (Turkmenistan) - Lotfabat (Iran). When entering the crossing point of the state border of Turkmenistan, foreign drivers are required to have necessary documents with them.
Turkmenistan lifts quarantine restrictions for passage through a number of checkpoints
Turkmenistan has opened some of its border checkpoints for foreign and domestic vehicles from November 7 this year. Passage was granted through the following road checkpoints: "Artyk", "Sarakhs", "Garabogaz", "Altyn asyr", "Dashoguz", "Kunyaurgench", "Farap", "Ymamnazar", "Serhetabat", as well as through the Turkmenbashi International Seaport. Previously, travel through these border checkpoints was restricted due to measures introduced in Turkmenistan to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Connection to the international customs digital system
The TIR-EPD program has been launched in Turkmenistan to provide customs authorities with preliminary information on goods transported through the international customs transit system. Information received from the program is accepted at five customs points: "Artyk" (on the border with Iran), "Ferry Terminal" (Turkmenbashi International Seaport), "Farap" (on the border with Uzbekistan), "Sarakhs" (on the border with Iran) and "Garabogaz" (on the border with Kazakhstan).
Cooperation with international organizations
Purchase of freight locomotives
Turkmen Demiryollary OJSC purchased two new diesel freight locomotives from the Chinese CRRC Ziyang Co., Ltd. According to the contract, by the end of January 2023, the company shouldto deliver 13 diesel locomotives to the country. The capacity of the new locomotives is 1,600 kW higher compared to the analogues previously used in Turkmenistan.
Purchase of Russian-made freight locomotives
Turkmen AOOT "Demirellary" (Railways) has purchased ten Russian mainline freight locomotives produced by the Bryansk Machine-Building Plant (BMZ) in November of this year. The delivery was carried out in accordance with the contract concluded in August 2022 between Demiryollary OJSC and Transmashholding JSC. Bryansk Machine-Building Plant is part of the Transmashholding Group, the largest company in the Russian transport engineering market.
Integration of the TIR-EPD system with automated customs data system
The State Customs Service of Turkmenistan has integrated the information system TIR-EPD developed by the International Road Transport Union (IRU) with the "transit" module of the customs information system ASYCUDA World. The TIR-EPD system is a system for providing customs authorities with electronic preliminary information about goods transported by road intended for import into the customs territory, including transit.
Launch of regular container trains on North–South International Transport Corridor through Turkmenistan
A subsidiary of Russian Railways (RZD) subsidiary Russian Railways Logistics JSC, launched a regular container train on the eastern branch of the North–South International Transport Corridor through Turkmenistan in October this year. At the first stage, a regular train will run along the new export-import route along the eastern branch of the North–South Transport Corridor once a month. Russian Railways Logistics plans to increase the frequency of container train departures in this direction to 17 trains per month starting from 2023.
Signing of the development program between Russian Railways and Turkmenistan
Head of Russian Railways JSC Oleg Belozerov and Chairman of the Turkmendemiryollary Agency (Turkmen Railways) Azat Atamuradov signed a cooperation development program for 2023-2025. The document provides for cooperation in the construction, modernization and reconstruction of infrastructure, as well as in development of transportation and logistics services, including organization of a regular container service along the eastern route of the North-South International Transport Corridor and a block train providing a minimum delivery time for agricultural products, raw materials and industrial goods between Turkmenistan and Russia.
Connection to the international customs digital system
The TIR-EPD program has been launched in Turkmenistan to provide customs authorities with preliminary information on goods transported through the international customs transit system. TIR-EPD is an application that allows companies authorized by guarantee associations and using the TIR (International Road Transport) system to send electronic preliminary information about transportation to the customs authorities of all countries of the route simultaneously.