Uzbekistan plans to build merchant fleet on Caspian Sea, official says

Uzbekistan is considering acquiring and chartering vessels to establish its own merchant and ferry fleet on the Caspian Sea, aiming to increase capacity along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor), Deputy Transport Minister Jasurbek Choriev has stated.

Speaking at a conference marking the launch of the Connectivity Agenda Platform in Brussels, he said Tashkent is developing a strategy to build its own fleet to serve the country’s foreign trade cargo flows, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

According to him, further development of the Middle Corridor requires addressing key bottlenecks, particularly at border crossings and infrastructure points facing capacity constraints.

He noted that these limitations currently restrict cargo growth more than transit times along the route.

The deputy minister also stressed the importance of technical assistance from the European Union and expanding trade opportunities for Central Asian states amid rising cargo flows between Europe and Asia.

He added that the planned China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway could further boost the development of the Middle Corridor. Once integrated into existing transport networks, the route is expected to significantly expand regional trade opportunities and increase the corridor’s attractiveness for shippers and investors.

As a landlocked country, Uzbekistan has been actively working in recent years to develop alternative transport routes to diversify its foreign trade and reduce dependence on traditional logistics corridors.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov