Uzbekistan joins new transit corridor connecting China with the Caspian region

The opening ceremony for the multimodal route took place on October 15. Seven trucks carrying lighting equipment, mechanical products, and consumer goods departed from Kashgar toward the China–Kyrgyzstan border.

The route aims to diversify transportation links along the Central Asia – China and China – Europe corridors. It is also part of efforts to develop the transit potential of the Middle Corridor.

The cargo is expected to arrive in Uzbekistan on October 21 and in Turkmenistan on October 24. A portion of the goods from Turkmenistan will then be transported across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan.

Freight is delivered from the Chinese cities of Xi’an and Chengdu to Kashgar by rail. From there, it is transported by road to Osh, where it will be reloaded onto railway platforms bound for the Turkmenbashi port. Subsequently, part of the cargo will continue by ferry to Baku.

Alongside access to European markets, the new route will also open connections to South Asia and the Middle East, noted Cai Tuanzhe, head of the Transport Services Department at China’s Ministry of Transport. According to him, the project will contribute to the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and stimulate the growth of freight transport among participating countries.

In September, Uztemiryulkonteyner launched a new multimodal route along the Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan – China corridor. The company, in partnership with Gansu International Logistics Group, dispatched a train of four platforms to the Chinese city of Lanzhou, where it operates a consolidation terminal.