Azerbaijan Railways, German Rhenus Group expand partnership in freight transportation

Azerbaijan Railways CJSC and German logistic company Rhenus Group plan to expand cooperation on international transport corridors.

At a meeting with a delegation headed by Rhenus Group CEO Tobias Bartz, Azerbaijan Railways Chairman Rovshan Rustamov spoke about works on modernisation and electrification of railway infrastructure in Azerbaijan, as well as increasing the capacity of railways along international corridors passing through Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports, citing Azerbaijan Railways.

They noted that reducing carbon emissions from freight transport along international corridors is one of the main challenges, and digitalisation of operations is particularly important for this purpose.

Amidst growth in international freight traffic in recent years, Azerbaijan Railways has been actively cooperating with partners to attract new cargoes as well as diversify routes along the Middle Corridor.

The meeting exchanged views on cooperation opportunities and other issues of mutual interest.

Notably, Azerbaijan and Germany have been involved in several initiatives aimed at enhancing railway cargo transportation, especially through the development of the Middle Corridor, which connects China to Europe. Germany's involvement primarily comes through its support for infrastructure developments and the broader transportation network connecting the Caspian Sea region to Europe.

Germany is particularly interested in the potential of this route as it offers faster and more cost-effective transport between Europe and Asia compared to traditional maritime routes. The project focuses on improving rail and logistics operations, with the potential for increased cargo flows via Azerbaijan, linking directly to Europe.

For instance, cargo transport through the Middle Corridor has already been bolstered by significant volumes of goods moving through Azerbaijan, and both Azerbaijan and Germany see great potential for expanding these connections. 

By Khagan Isayev