Natig Jafarov: Baku-Tbilisi-Kars is hub for Kazakh and Turkmen seaports

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line serves as a hub for seaports in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, said Natig Jafarov, CEO of Alliance Multimodal logistics company, Report informs.

Jafarov made the remark at the International Transport Corridors in the Black and Caspian Seas session during the Black Sea-Caspian Logistics Forum 2024.

He mentioned that BTK continues to strengthen its position as a strategic transport hub.

“It is already a hub for seaports in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. The BTK railway route is the main link for cargo transit between Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Europe. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line is an important hub connecting the main ports of the Caspian Sea with global markets,” Jafarov emphasized.

Cargo transportation through the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line resumed on May 20, 2024, with the first cargo train of 20 containers departing from the Absheron Logistics Center to Georgia. The railway line is set to become a key part of the Middle Corridor, with repairs to the Georgian section expected to increase cargo capacity to 5 million tons per year.

More intensive cargo transportation is anticipated next year. An agreement has been reached for transporting goods from China via BTK.

This year, 190 block trains have passed through the corridor, with over 250 expected by year-end. Starting next year, 50 block trains per month are planned.

Construction of the BTK began in 2008, and the railway line was commissioned on October 30, 2017.