Middle Corridor more than transport route, chief advisor says

The Middle Corridor is becoming more than just a transport route, says Roza Bayramli, Chief Advisor at AIR Centre, Azerbaijan’s think tank.

Speaking at a roundtable in Baku, Azerbaijan, organised by the organisation and the LINKS Europe Foundation, she outlined that it creates closer economic and digital ties between Azerbaijan and Central Asia and strengthens their ties with Europe, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Azerbaijan is emerging as an important transport, energy and digital hub connecting Central Asia with Europe, she noted.

According to Bayramli, the importance of the Middle Corridor has risen considerably in recent years amid the war in Ukraine, disruptions to traditional supply chains and instability along other transportation routes.

"The EU is paying significantly more attention to the Middle Corridor. At the same time, Azerbaijan and the countries of Central Asia are strengthening cooperation in the spheres of transport, trade, energy, and digital connectivity," Bayramli stressed.

She also emphasised that the EU is seeking to cut transportation times between Europe and Central Asia to around 15 days, adding: "Azerbaijan plays a central role in achieving this goal."

Bayramli further stated that the annual capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway has been increased to 5 million tons. Meanwhile, the Port of Baku currently has the capacity to handle 15 million tons of cargo and around 150,000 TEU annually. Following planned expansion, those capacities are expected to rise to 25 million tons and 500,000 TEU, respectively.

According to her, cargo volumes transported along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route increased from 2.76 million tons in 2023 to 4.48 million tons in 2024, surpassing 4.1 million tons in 2025.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov