Ferry terminal in Baku center to move to new int'l port
By Sara Rajabova
Azerbaijan's Transport Ministry intends to transfer the ferry terminal from the center of Baku to the new International Sea Trade Port in Alat settlement (65 km south of the capital city), which is currently under construction, by the end of 2014, Deputy Transport Minister Musa Panahov said on September 10.
According to Panahov, the construction of the new port, which is being implemented in three phases, is underway according to the schedule.
He said intensive work is underway at the ferry terminal, which will be primarily relocated from the center of Baku.
Transport Minister Ziya Mammadov said earlier that it is planned to put into operation the ferry terminal and the entire road infrastructure in 2014. He said the construction of the dry-cargo terminal of the new international trading port near Baku will finish in 2015.
The construction of the new international trading port began in November 2010. The first stage of the project includes the construction of two ferry and three cargo berths for receiving containers of 'RoRo' type and simple (universal) dry-cargo ships. The second phase of the project envisages the construction of three more cargo berths, and the third phase implies the construction of two additional cargo berths. The port can accept up to 11.6 million tons of cargo a year.