Freight traffic volume via BTK doubles in 2020
By Ayya Lmahamad
The volume of freight traffic via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway doubled in 2020, ADY Freight has reported.
A total of 224,944 tons were transported along this route in 2020, while in 2019 this figure was 110,174 tons.
Most of the freight traffic via Baku-Tbilisi-Kars was containerized last year as 77.5 percent of cargo was transported in containers, in comparison to 76 percent in 2019.
On January 12, ADY Express LLC, a subsidiary of Azerbaijan Railway CJSC, started transporting export-oriented cargo via Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway for the first time. In the meantime, on January 22, the company carried out cargo transportation in covered wagons via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway for the first time.
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad started operating in two-way mode recently. Initially, this transport corridor was used to transport goods from China to Europe. On December 4, 2020, the first freight train left Istanbul for China via the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railroad.
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is of exceptional importance for turning Azerbaijan into a regional transport corridor. The agreement on the construction of the railway, which was put into operation in 2017, was signed during the meeting in Tbilisi by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey in 2007.
The 828- kilometer Baku Tbilisi Kars railway stretch from the Azeri coast of the Caspian Sea to the Georgian capital, and from there to Turkey, connecting the country’s extensive railway system and thus gaining access to European borders.
As of today, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars cargo turnover is 6 million tons, passenger turnover is 1 million people. In the future, it may be increased to 3 million passengers and 20 million tons of cargo.
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Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad
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