Azernews.Az

By Narmina Mammadova

Kazakhstan’s container transit traffic through the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) in January-October 2018 increased by 17.5 times to 2,800 TEU, compared to 160 TEU last year, First Vice Minister of Investment and Development of Kazakhstan Roman Sklyar told Trend.

"For the 10 months, export rail transportation through TITR amounted to 537,400 tons, and import rail transportation – to 254,600 tons," he said.

Sklyar also noted that oil products, grain, metals, coal and chemicals constitute the main freight transported by Kazakhstan via TITR.

"In order to develop the transit and export potential of the country, a network of effective transit transcontinental corridors and routes through Kazakhstan, such as the Northern Trans-Asian Railway, route from China to Central Asia and Persian Gulf countries, North-South Corridor and TITR, was formed and is being implemented," the first vice minister added.

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Ukraine decided to apply the competitive feed-in tariffs for cargo transportation via the TITR in January, 2016. The agreement on creation of the TITR was signed in April 2016 in Baku by the railway authorities of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan. Single competitive rate was introduced in the framework of the route starting from June 1, 2016 with the view to reduce the costs of international cargo transportation.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) is intended for the supply of goods both from China to Europe through the territories of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, and in the opposite direction. Management and development of the route is carried out by a consortium created by the participating countries: China Railway (China), KTZ Express (Kazakhstan), Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (the Caspian Sea), ADY Express (Azerbaijan) and Trans Caucasus Terminals (Georgia).

By 2020, 7-8 million tons of cargo are expected to be transported via TITR, bringing huge financial profits to Azerbaijan. Growing interest in the transport infrastructures passing through Azerbaijan's territory is expected to make the country a major transport hub in the region.

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