(MENAFN- AzerNews) By Sara Israfilbayova
The Azerbaijani government intends to intensify the activity of trade representatives in foreign countries.
Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev made the remarks at an expanded meeting dedicated to the results of 2017 and forthcoming tasks on January 24.
The minister went on to say that Azerbaijan's trade representatives have already been appointed to Russia, China, the UAE and the countries of Central Europe, further adding that the work is underway to establish Azerbaijan's trade houses in foreign countries.
Mustafayev pointed out that the country's first Trade House was opened in the Belarusian capital Minsk, on May 26.
This Trade House has been recently entitled to import alcoholic beverages. Presently, only 29 state and private companies in Belarus have permission to import alcoholic beverages.
Mustafayev noted that Azerbaijan's Trade House in Latvia has also been registered and will begin to operate this year.
Further, touching upon the Baku International Sea Trade Port, the minister noted that seven cargo bridges are planned to be built on the territory there in January-March 2018.
'Warehouses, additional buildings and other infrastructure facilities are also planned to be built till March, he said. 'Moreover, the operational building of the Port of Baku is planned to be constructed in May.
In total, up to 1,500 people are involved and almost 300 units of various construction equipments are used in the construction work.
The minister recalled that President Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the Ro-Ro terminal in the Baku port, which is capable of receiving 1.8 million tons of cargo per year, in January 2018.
The Port of Baku is located on an area of 400 hectares of land, of which about 100-115 ha cover the area for the development of the international Logistics and Trade Zone. The northern areas around the port are reserved for future expansion of logistics, industrial, and manufacturing activity.
The Port is expected to become one of the leading trade and logistics hubs of Eurasia. The implementation of all 3 phases of construction is projected to increase the capacity up to 7,660 tons on a daily basis.
Mustafayev said that upon the president's decree, the first phase of the construction work is planned to be completed this year.
After the completion of the first phase of construction, the Baku International Sea Trade Port will be able to receive up to 10-11 million tons of cargo per year, and handle up to 50,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) annually.
The second stage of the project envisages the construction of three more cargo berths in the port, while two additional cargo berths will be built at the third stage.
At the second stage, the capacity of the port will reach 17 million tons of cargo and 150,000 TEU, and at the end of the third stage - 25 million tons of cargo and 1 million TEU.
In 2017, the volume of cargo transportation through the Baku International Sea Trade Port (excluding the oil terminal) increased by 31 percent and reached 4.4 million tons compared to 2016. Thus, 85.7 percent of the total volume accounted for transit cargo transportation.
Speaking at the event, the minister mentioned that up to 10 factories engaged in carpet production will be put into operation in the regions of the country by the end of the year.
Mustafayev stressed that for development of the non-oil sector and increase of the export potential of this sector is planned to launch the Sumgait Chemical Industrial Park.
Moreover, in the first half of this year, in Mingachevir Industrial Park it is planned to commission Mingachevir Tekstil LLC worth $65 million, where 550 work places will be opened.
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