(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 18. MAERSK has focused on developing the transit route through the Middle Corridor, the firm's Central Asia & Caucasus Region Business Development Manager, Irakli Danelia said in a statement at the session titled "International Transport Corridors in the Black and Caspian Sea Region" at the Black and Caspian Freight Forum 2024 in Baku, Trend reports.

"When it comes to the Caucasus, Central Asia, as well as the Southern and Middle Corridors, we are concentrating on developing transit routes through these regions. However, it is important not to limit ourselves to their transit role-the markets in these countries are significant in their own right, considering the export-import flows connected with various parts of the world. We offer the market one main solution-global connectivity for Central Asia. We provide direct rail links between China and countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, facilitating container transport and supporting export flows from Central Asia to China," he noted.

Danelia added that MAERSK is not only developing the eastern direction but is also actively enhancing the links between the Caucasus and Central Asia with Europe, Africa, and America through the Western Corridor.

"Currently, the development of this transit corridor is at a high level. The main reason is the political support, which plays a key role for the Caucasus and Central Asian countries. This allows us to effectively organize seamless transportation and address all logistical challenges for shippers. In this context, we can mention the so-called cross-border transport services (CBT), which facilitate the development of the Middle Corridor," he added.

To note, the Middle Corridor links the container rail freight transportation networks of China and European Union countries via Central Asia, the Caucasus, Türkiye and Eastern Europe.

Multilateral multimodal transportation infrastructure connects ferry terminals of the Caspian and Black Seas with railway systems of China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye, Ukraine, and Poland.

The Middle Corridor facilitates increased cargo traffic from China to Türkiye, as well as to European countries and in the opposite direction.

The route train along this corridor delivers cargo from China to Europe in an average of 20–25 days, and this is one of the main advantages of this transport corridor.

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