Large-capacity ferries “Made in Azerbaijan” to appear in Caspian Sea
By Nigar Orujova
Azerbaijan may launch construction of large-capacity ferries in the country.
Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company is negotiating with Baku Shipyard Factory for the construction of large-capacity ferries, said Farhad Guliyev, deputy chairman of the Caspian Shipping Company.
He noted that currently used ferries can accommodate about 50 cars, while about 70,000 cars were ferried in 2015.
Baku Shipyard Factory is a joint venture of Azerbaijan’s State Oil Company, Azerbaijan’s Investment Company and Singaporean Keppel Offshore & Marine.
The factory inaugurated by President Ilham Aliyev in September 2013 is designed for the construction of a wide range of specialized and commercial vessels, including multipurpose offshore ships such as platform supply vessels and tankers and cargo ships. The company also offers the ship repair possibility.
After reaching its full capacity, the factory will be able to carry up to 100 repair or rebuilding works per year.
Azerbaijan's Caspian Sea Shipping Company is among the major ship owning companies in the Caspian basin and its main activity is cargo transportation predominantly in oil and oil products in the Caspian, Black, Mediterranean, and Marmara Seas.
The company carries the most freight traffic through the Europe-Caucasus-Asia transport corridor from Baku. The goods are sent to the Kazakh port of Aktau in 24-26 hours and Turkmen port of Turkmenbashi in 14-16 hours, and vice versa.
Earlier, Azerbaijan made a nearly 40-percent reduction in the transit cost of cargo transportations by large trucks to the Aktau and Turkmenbashi ports and reduced tariffs by 20 percent in order to improve the attractiveness of maritime transportation of cars traveling from Turkey to Kazakhstan.
The country that develops its transit opportunities also expressed readiness to offer more attractive price for transportation if required.