Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijan is applying attractive transportation fees in an effort to become a major transport hub of the region.

The country made a nearly 40-percent reduction in the transit cost of cargo transportations by large trucks to the Aktau and Turkmenbashi ports, the Coordinating Council for Transit Cargo Transportations reported.

Cost reduction for foreign carriers were made after simplification of transit procedures and reduction of tariffs for cargo transport, functioning to Kazakhstan’s Aktau port and Turkmenistan’s Turkmenbashi port.

Earlier, the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company reduced tariffs by 20 percent in order to improve the attractiveness of maritime transportation of cars traveling from Turkey to Kazakhstan.

The new tariff is set at $1,200 for one car with 16.5 meters long trailer, in one direction from Baku to Aktau or from Aktau to Baku.

If a round-trip ticket is purchased in advance, the tariff is set at $2,100 under the round-trip plan: from Baku to Aktau, and back.

Thus, the transit costs for each large goods vehicle going through Azerbaijan in both directions will cost about $2,600.

Moreover, the Coordinating Council also plans in the near future to reduce the period for cargo transit, simplify procedures and ensure transparency of rules and procedures for cargo transportation.

Located on the edge of the East and West Azerbaijan has put stake on the transportation for decade and starts to reap benefits. Today, the country wants to use its strategically favorable location to become a country conducive for goods transit by following the ‘one contact’ principle.

Moreover, the country plans to optimize tariffs for transit cargo by rail and sea transport, freight forwarding services, as well as services provided at seaports.

In addition, the period for cargo transit will be reduced, procedures simplified and transparency of rules and procedures for cargo transportation will be ensured.

Experts believe that the realization of such a global project will contribute to the diversification of the economy, reduced dependence on the oil sector, and will also help the private sector, thus strengthening the country’s role in the region.

Azerbaijan is also a member at the Trans-Caspian international transport route that runs through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, to reach Europe.

In addition, Azerbaijan is ready to use its location to provide transit of the Turkish goods to the countries of Central Asia, as Russia banned entrance of trucks from Turkey.

Moreover, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project is set to launch in the near future.

With all these and other possibilities of the country, Azerbaijani non-oil sector will soon make large profit from this sector only.

__

Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’s staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz