Uzbekistan sent the first container train to Europe along the Middle Corridor, the press service of Uzbekistan Railways reports. The train departed on December 16 from Sergeli. It will have to overcome more than 4,000 km along the route Uzbekistan – Turkmenistan – Azerbaijan – Georgia – Bulgaria/EU. Partners from three countries also took part in the organization of cargo transportation: Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
The Middle Corridor is another designation for the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. It runs from the Chinese-Kazakh border through Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and further to European countries. Transportation involves rail and sea (through the waters of the Caspian Sea) transport. The length of the route is 11 thousand km, the throughput is from 4.5 million to 27 million tons per year. The route started operating in 2017.
The International Association of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route unites more than 20 owners of the main infrastructure and carriers from 8 countries: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, China, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Turkey. In the summer of 2021, Uzbekistan announced its decision to join the project participants as an associate member. The headquarters of the Association is located in Astana, Kazakhstan.
