Official: Zangezur Corridor could generate up to 865,000 container traffic by 2040

Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Samir Sharifov highlighted the strategic importance of the Zangezur Corridor, also referred to as the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), saying the project could generate cargo flows of up to 865,000 TEU by 2040 and create a reliable overland link between Europe and Central Asia.

Speaking at the New Silk Road forum held as part of the World Governments Summit in Dubai, he stressed that Azerbaijan’s geographic position at the crossroads of the East–West and North–South transport corridors gives the country a critical role in global supply chains, including within the Belt and Road Initiative and the Middle Corridor, Caliber.Az reports via local media. 

Presenting recent figures on logistics performance, Sharifov said freight traffic along the Middle Corridor increased by 11 per cent last year, while cargo volumes on the North–South corridor rose by 12 per cent. He noted that following modernisation works, the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway has reached an annual carrying capacity of 5 million tons, with plans in place to expand the capacity of the Baku International Sea Trade Port to 25 million tons.

He also pointed to strong growth in container traffic at the Port of Baku, reporting a 40 per cent year-on-year increase in TEU volumes last year to more than 107,000 TEU.

In concluding remarks, Sharifov emphasised the need for closer international cooperation, particularly in the digitalisation of border crossings and the harmonisation of customs procedures. He called for enhanced coordination among Central Asian and South Caucasus countries and urged partner states to engage in joint efforts in these areas.

By Sabina Mammadli