Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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A delegation from Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), a subsidiary of AZCON Holding, is on a working visit to the People's Republic of China, AzerNEWS reports.

As part of the visit, ADY Chairman Rovshan Rustamov met with Chen Zhixin, head of China's CRRC Ziyang Co., Ltd., to discuss the modernization of Azerbaijan's railway sector and the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

The talks focused on renewing Azerbaijan Railways' locomotive fleet, enhancing the technical capabilities of rolling stock used for freight and passenger transportation, and ensuring efficient and secure services amid growing cargo volumes along international transport corridors. The parties also explored opportunities to further strengthen cooperation between ADY and CRRC Ziyang.

During the meeting, it was noted that Azerbaijan's increasing role in the international transport and logistics network, as well as the strategic importance of freight traffic along the North-South and East-West corridors, necessitates the continued modernization of railway infrastructure, including the locomotive fleet.

ADY places particular emphasis on renewing and expanding its locomotive fleet to ensure more reliable, safe, and sustainable freight operations. In this regard, the company attaches special importance to cooperation with Chinese manufacturers, including CRRC Ziyang.

The parties highlighted progress under a contract signed last year for the purchase of seven new freight locomotives from CRRC Ziyang. The locomotives are scheduled to be delivered to Azerbaijan in September. Discussions were also held regarding the procurement of an additional 14 locomotives in the next phase of cooperation.

During the visit, the ADY delegation inspected the final stage of production of the seven locomotives and exchanged views on a number of technical issues. The advanced AC50 mainline locomotives will be used for freight transportation along international transport corridors passing through Azerbaijan.

The meeting also resulted in the signing of a contract between ADY and CRRC Ziyang for the purchase of four new mainline passenger locomotives. The locomotives are expected to be delivered to Azerbaijan during 2027.

The new passenger locomotives are expected to significantly improve service quality and passenger satisfaction, particularly on long-distance routes, while supporting the continued development of Azerbaijan's railway network and regional connectivity.