TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 22. In recent years, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor has become the focus of attention of the entire world community, Deputy Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan Mamanbiy Omarov told Trend.
“President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, speaking at the meeting of the leaders of the Central Asia – European Union in June this year in Kyrgyzstan, stressed the importance of uniting the efforts of countries in order to develop transport and communication interconnectedness of Central Asia and Europe, primarily through the formation of a Middle Corridor,” he said.
The minister stressed that despite this, problems remain with delivery times, high transportation costs, and limited route capacity.
“Today, Uzbekistan is one of the users of the Middle Corridor. So, if in 2022 the volume of cargo transportation more than doubled, amounting to about 1 million tons, then for 9 months of this year, unfortunately, volumes decreased by 22 percent, amounting to just over 500,000,” he noted.
As measures to eliminate the above-mentioned problems, the minister listed the following solutions:
- to develop a joint mechanism for using the potential of the Corridor and organize regular meetings of representatives of transport departments of the countries of the region and the European Union;
- to make efforts to increase the capacity of the infrastructure, as well as the number of ships in the Caspian Sea;
- use a flexible tariff policy along the entire route;
- to strengthen dredging operations in the coastal ports of the Caspian Sea;
- accelerate the implementation of digitalization of customs clearance procedures for goods and shipping documents such as: E-Permit, E-TIR, E-Transit.
The Middle Corridor, a transportation and trade pathway, linking Asia and Europe as it traverses numerous countries within the region. It provides an alternative to the conventional Northern and Southern Corridors.
Beginning in China, it spans across Central Asian nations like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Subsequently, it extends through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching the European continent.
This strategic Middle Corridor offers a land-based connection between the eastern regions of Asia, including China, and Europe, offering a shorter path compared to lengthy maritime routes.