Kazakhstani official: Middle Corridor key Eurasian trade route

The Middle Corridor, officially known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), is rapidly becoming a key link for Eurasian trade, bolstered by its sustainability, multimodal logistics, and strategic significance, Kazakhstan’s International Trade Chamber board chairman Murat Karimsakov said.

Speaking during the 8th plenary session of the Business Council of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held in Baku on May 20, Karimsakov emphasised the importance of the route, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

"The international transport and logistics corridor passing through China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, then to Türkiye and European countries is actively developing. A logistics centre built by Azersun Holding also operates in the special economic zone of the Aktau seaport. This centre plays an important role in the storage, processing and transportation of Azerbaijani fruits and vegetables, opening up opportunities for their export to the countries of Central Asia and then to China," he said.

Cargo volumes transported via the TITR grew by 62 per cent in 2024, reaching 4.5 million tons. The volume is expected to rise to 5.2 million tons in 2025, with 4.2 million tons transiting through participating countries. This includes 2.5 million tons of dry cargo—equivalent to 96,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs)—and 1.7 million tons of oil.

Looking ahead, the route’s annual capacity is projected to hit 10 million tons by 2027, which could significantly boost Azerbaijan’s transit potential and attract further investment in regional infrastructure.

By Sabina Mammadli