(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 4. Trend News Agency
summarizes Uzbekistan's transport sector's major events in
2024.
Manufacture of electric buses by Chinese
company
China's Lanzhou Guangtong New energy Automobile Co., Ltd intends
to manufacture electric buses in Uzbekistan's Andijan region. In
particular, an agreement was signed on realization of the project
on production of electric buses with annual capacity of 2,000
vehicles. The investment cost of this project is estimated at $100
million.
Launching road freight transportation with Chinese
logistics company
The Chinese Zhengzhou Hongyi Transportation Logistics Company
has launched road freight transportation from Shenzhen to Tashkent.
With a route length of 6,500 kilometers, the travel time was
reduced almost three times-from 20 to 7 days. The opening of the
new route will increase trade between Shenzhen and Tashkent, as
well as further facilitate border procedures and reduce travel time
and logistics costs.
Signing memorandum of understanding in logistics with
Chinese company
Chinese Shandong Port Logistics Group Co., Ltd and Uzbekistan's
Temiryo'lkargo JSC signed a memorandum of understanding on
utilization of available logistics opportunities. The document was
signed during a meeting of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Transport,
Temiryo'lkargo JSC and Chinese Shandong Port Logistics Group Co.,
Ltd. on January 18, 2024, in Jinan, Shandong province. The parties
agreed to establish comprehensive cooperation on joint
implementation of multimodal container transportation, exchange of
information in all logistics processes with reliance on port and
logistics resources.
Launching new cargo transportation route with
China
Uzbekistan's Ministry of Transport worked on the organization of
the corridor together with the Association of International Road
Carriers in cooperation with the relevant ministries and
departments of China. The new trade route connects Uzbekistan with
Qingdao, located in the eastern part of China, and allows prompt,
economical, and safe cargo transportation.
EBRD's investment in e-bus project
A project on purchase of electric buses and creation of
necessary infrastructure will be implemented in Uzbekistan's
Samarkand with the participation of the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The EBRD will provide a $49
million loan for 18 years, including a grace period of three years.
The remaining amount will be financed by the Uzbek authorities
through VAT and customs privileges.
Discussion with with Yandex on development and
regulation of the passenger transportation market
Uzbekistan and Yandex (a Russian transportation service)
discussed the matters of development and regulation of the
passenger transportation market. The discussion took place at a
meeting between Uzbek Minister of Transport Ilkhom Mahkamov and
representatives of the delegation headed by General Director for
e-commerce and logistics services of Yandex group of companies
Daniil Shuleyko on February 20. In order to increase the efficiency
of street and road network use, the parties exchanged views on the
use of analytical data of Yandex maps, the development of taxi
fleets owning vehicles.
Creation of a modern multimodal transport and logistics
center with German Rhenus company
Uzbekistan Railways and German Rhenus SE&Co. KG logistics
company will create a modern multimodal transport and logistics
center in Andijan region. The modern logistics center will create
opportunities for multimodal transportation, container loading and
unloading zones, open and closed customs warehouses, as well as
handling heavy cargo. Investments in the project will amount to 20
million euros between 2024 and 2026, which will allow the logistics
center to handle from 250,000 to 300,000 tons of cargo
annually.
Reconstruction of the Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif railway
line
A start ceremony for reconstruction of the
Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif railway line was held on the border of
Uzbekistan and Afghanistan on February 21. Uzbekistan Railways has
sent 120 workers to Afghanistan to carry out the first stage of
work.
Easing road freight permits with Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have simplified obtaining permits for
road freight transportation. Thus, from April 15, a joint order of
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan came into force on the transfer to an
electronic form of obtaining permits for the transportation of
goods of the type "to/from third countries" for Kazakh
carriers.
Chinese company intends to construct toll roads in
Uzbekistan
Representatives of CITIC Construction Company (China) expressed
interest in participating in the reconstruction of the
Pungan-Namangan and Tashkent-Chinaz highways. They emphasized their
international experience in improving transport infrastructure and
using modern solutions in road construction.
Signing a MoU with Italian EU Wings to establish joint
venture
Uzbekistan Airports and EU Wings, an Italian company
specializing in aircraft maintenance, have signed a memorandum of
understanding. According to the memorandum, the parties intend to
elaborate and make proposals in the near future to establish a
joint venture at Navoi Airport, which will provide basic aircraft
maintenance and repair services, as well as line maintenance of
aircraft at other international airports in Uzbekistan.
Granting Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air a permission to operate
regular flights
Uzbekistan's Civil Aviation Agency has granted Qazaq Air
authorization to fly regularly to Uzbekistan via the
Turkestan-Samarkand-Turkestan route. These flights will be flown by
DHC-8-402 aircraft, increasing connectivity between the two
countries.
Launching new international flights
Uzbekistan Airways starts operating flights to Rome (Italy) on
March 31, flights to Mumbai (India) on April 1, to Georgian Batumi
on May 29, and to Nha Trang (Vietnam) on May 4.
Planning to start producing electric trains and subway
trains
Uzbekistan plans to start producing electric trains and subway
trains at the Tashkent plant for the construction and repair of
passenger cars in 2024. Rustam Rakhimov, the department head at
Tambov State Technical University, stated that the first model will
be suburban electric trains.
Planning to construct a cargo terminal at Namangan
International Airport
Uzbekistan plans to develop a cargo terminal at Namangan
International Airport as part of its modernization project. The
project will also include the construction of catering and fueling
complexes, as well as other economic buildings.
Belarusian BelAZ planning to start construction of an
assembly site for the production of quarry equipment
Belarusian BelAZ plans to start construction of an assembly site
for the production of quarry equipment in Uzbekistan in 2024. The
site will be a full-cycle line of large-unit assembly, with paint
booths and a running-in area.
Russian UWC in Uzbekistan will boost freight turnover
along North-
South corridor
According to Uzbek Railway Transport Engineering CEO Rustam
Rakhimov, Russian United Wagon Company's (UWC) first service center
network in Uzbekistan will increase freight turnover along the
North-South transport corridor. The United Wagon Company and
Railway Transport Engineering signed an agreement on the
establishment of service centers in Uzbekistan to provide warranty
and post-warranty maintenance of freight cars on innovative bogies
manufactured by UWC.
Developping the Trans-Afghan railway
project
A delegation from Uzbekistan headed by Transport Minister Ilkhom
Mahkamov visited Afghanistan. The delegation included specialists
who will develop a feasibility study and prepare for the
construction of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railroad.
EBRD signs mandate letters on long-term financing of
Uzbekistan's electric bus projects
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has
signed mandate letters on long-term financing of Uzbekistan's
Samarkand electric buses and Namangan electric bus projects.
Opening of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek car manufacturing
plant
The opening of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek car manufacturing plant was
scheduled for May 28. The facility is located in the Sokuluk
district of the Chuy region. It is expected to produce 30,000
vehicles and create 2,000 jobs within six years. The plant
will assemble 19 models of Chevrolet, Daewoo, and Isuzu vehicles.
The total investment in the project is estimated at $50
million.
Signing an agreement with Spain in international air
cargo transportation
Uzbekistan's MYFREIGHTER private airline has signed an interline
agreement with Spanish Air Europa airline that will give the
company access to eight new destinations. The destinations include
Panama City, Cancun, and the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana,
Colombia, Miami, New York, and Sao Paulo. Air Europa will gain
access to Tashkent as a hub for Central Asia flights.
Signing a roadmap for the implementation of the project
to build the China - Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan railroad
Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China signed a roadmap for the
implementation of the project to build the China - Kyrgyzstan -
Uzbekistan railroad.
Extention of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway
route
The route of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will extend
from Chinese Kashgar through Kyrgyz Torugart, Makmal, and
Jalal-Abad to Uzbek Andijan.
This proposal has been submitted to the Kyrgyzstan Cabinet of
Ministers for parliamentary review. According to the document, a
joint project company will be established to oversee the
construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. The
entities designated for construction include China Railway
International under the Chinese Railways state corporation, Kyrgyz
Railways state enterprise, and Uzbekistan Railways.
Reaching an agreement over Latvian ports-passed
freightage growth
Uzbekistan and Latvia reached an agreement on granting forms of
special permits for organizing cargo transportation by road through
Latvian ports. The importance of the route passing through Latvian
ports is growing in terms of expanding trade relations between
Uzbekistan and EU countries. Both countries discussed aspects
related to the effective utilization of Latvia's port
infrastructure potential.
Attracting financing with Kazakhstan for
Kyzylorda-Uchkuduk project
The Ministries of Transport of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have
submitted proposals to the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, the European Investment Bank, and other international
financial organizations to finance the technical and economic basis
of the Kyzylorda-Uchkuduk railway line project.
Purchasing Hyundai high-speed trains
Uzbekistan Railways and South Korea's Hyundai Rotem have signed
a contract for the delivery of six high-speed trains and their
subsequent maintenance to Uzbekistan. The South Korean Fund for
Economic Development and Cooperation plans to provide a loan of 185
million euros for their purchase for 35 years. The loan will be
provided with a ten-year grace period (an interest rate of 0.1
percent per year).
Buying electric trains for $195.7 million
Contract for delivery of Hyundai Rotem electric trains to
Uzbekistan is estimated at $195.7 million. Uzbekistan Railway Roads
signed a contract with Hyundai Rotem for the purchase of electric
trains during the visit of the President of the Republic of Korea
to Uzbekistan. Hyundai Rotem will supply Uzbekistan with six
high-speed electric trains with a total of 42 cars. In addition,
the South Korean company will provide maintenance and repair
services for these trains.
Establishing railway freight car manufacturing facility
with Slovakia's AZC Group
Sanoat Energetika Guruhi (Saneg), the largest privately-owned
oil and gas company in Uzbekistan, has signed a memorandum of
understanding with the leading Slovak AZC Orbis Invest, as well as
with the administration of the Gallaarel Special Industrial Zone
located in the Jizzakh Region. The agreement includes the
development of a facility for manufacturing railway freight cars in
the Gallaaral Special Industrial Zone.
BYD plant debuts with its first electric
cars
BYD Uzbekistan Factory (a joint venture with China) has produced
its first electric cars in the Jizzakh region. The plant plans to
increase the production of electric cars to 200,000 per year within
the framework of the second stage of the project, and to increase
the production of electric cars to 500,000 per year within the
framework of the third stage worth $500 million.
BYD Uzbekistan and China plan to produce new car
models
BYD Uzbekistan Factory (a joint venture with China) has signed
agreements with Chinese partners for the production of new BYD car
models. The new BYD Seagull and E2 car models are presented by the
partners for possible production, the first samples of which are
already being tested in laboratories.
Uzbekistan to establish largest multimodal transport,
logistics center in Samarkand
Marakand Logair (part of the management circuit of SEG Enera
investment and industrial group in Uzbekistan) will open the
largest multimodal transport and logistics center of A class in
Samarkand region. The Logopark Samarkand multimodal transport and
logistics center is scheduled to open in the second quarter of
2025. The center with an area of more than 40,000 square meters
will accommodate the products of leading international and local
e-commerce, distribution, manufacturing, and logistics companies.
The complex will include premises with all temperature modes of
storage, as well as a wide range of auxiliary services and
facilities.
Chinese company launching cargo flights to
Uzbekistan
China's North-Western Cargo International Airlines has launched
cargo flights from Xi'an to Tashkent. The first flight is scheduled
for September 4, 2024. The cargo flights on the Xi'an - Tashkent -
Xi'an route will be operated by Boeing 757-200 aircraft with a
cargo capacity of up to 25 tons. At the initial stage, flights will
be operated once a week, with a subsequent increase in frequency to
three times a week.
Boosting Azerbaijan's e-vehicle imports
Uzbek enterprises are ready to supply BYD electric cars to
Azerbaijan. In addition to electric cars, there are plans to supply
KIA vehicles produced at the ADM Jizzakh LLC Automotive Plant in
Uzbekistan.
Spanish airline launching charter passenger flights to
Uzbekistan
Spanish Iberojet airline is launching charter passenger flights
from Madrid to Uzbekistan's Tashkent and Urgench. The first flight
to Tashkent is scheduled for September 2, 2024, to Urgench - on
September 8, 2024. The flights are planned to be operated once
every two weeks on Airbus A330 aircraft.
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China launch new railway
route
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China have launched cargo
transportation along a new route in accordance with agreements on
the organization of freight transportation along the
China-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan route and the development of the
Trans-Afghan direction. Thus, the cargo train was sent from the
Kazakh-Chinese terminal in the port of Xi'an. The containers were
reloaded at the KTZE Khorgos Gateway dry port and continued to
follow the KTZ network to the Saryagash border station, then to the
final point - Tashkent station. As a result, the container train
went the whole nine yards, covering a whopping 4,486 kilometers in
a jaw-dropping record time of just 5 days.
Launching container transportation on new multimodal
route with India
Uztemiryulcontainer JSC has organized a new multimodal route for
container transportation from Indian Mundra, Nhava Sheva and
Chennai ports to Uzbekistan. The cargo was delivered by sea from
India to the Iranian Bandar Abbas port and then by rail to
Uzbekistan's Sergeli station. Containers are first transported from
the port of Bandar Abbas to Sarakhs station on Iranian platforms
before being transloaded onto the platforms of Uzbekistan Railways
and shipped to Uzbekistan via Turkmenistan. The first freight
train, consisting of 20 containers, passed 2,673 kilometers in 20
days. In the future, it is planned to reduce the delivery time to
15 days.
Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan seek to set up joint venture to
develop cargo transportation
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan plan to set up a joint venture (JV) to
develop cargo transportation. This JV will be designed specifically
to improve transportation along the Trans-Caspian International
Transport Route.
Planning to launch a joint ferry production with
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan plan to establish joint production of
ferries. The ferries will be provided for the needs of Uzbekistan.
The volume of financing for the project will amount to $150
million.
Openning a representative office of Russian Railways in
Uzbekistan
Russian Railways OJSC will open a representative office in
Uzbekistan soon. This became known during the meeting between the
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Abdulla
Aripov, Minister of Transportation Ilkhom Makhkamov, and the head
of Russian Railways, Oleg Belozyorov.
Several airlines launching cargo flights to Uzbekistan's
Navoi
Latvian SmartLynx Airlines, the UK's Titan Airways, and
Uzbekistan's FlyKhiva have launched cargo flights to Navoi. The UK
Titan Airways made the first charter cargo flight on the Chongqing
(China) - Navoi
(Uzbekistan) - London (UK) route on September 12 this year. On
September 17, 2024, Latvian SmartLynx Airlines made the first
charter cargo flight on the Varna (Bulgaria) - Navoi (Uzbekistan) -
Dhaka (Bangladesh) route. Uzbekistan's FlyKhiva airline launched
charter flights on the Ezhou (China) - Liege (Belgium) route, also
with a technical stop in Navoi.
Pakistan joining the establishment of a multimodal
corridor through Uzbekistan
Pakistan has signed a memorandum of understanding in line with
international cooperation on transport and logistics projects,
aimed at creating and developing the Belarus - Russia - Kazakhstan
- Uzbekistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan - Indian Ocean ports
international transport corridor. This multimodal transport
corridor is a game changer for Central and South Asian countries,
paving the way for new opportunities and connections, and is
designed to bridge the gap between Northern and Southern Eurasia,
giving landlocked nations like Uzbekistan a leg up by opening the
door to the ports of the Indian Ocean.
Uzbekistan's Air Samarkand launching flights to
UAE
Uzbekistan's Air Samarkand has launched a new service between
Tashkent and Al Ain (the UAE). The first flight took place on
September 22, conducted by an Airbus A321 aircraft. The aircraft
offers 12 spacious business class seats and 182 comfortable economy
class seats to ensure apleasant travel experience.
Collaborating with Turkmenistan on electronic permit
exchange system
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have reached an agreement to
implement an electronic permit exchange system known as E-permit.
An inter-agency working group will be established to address
transportation problems efficiently. Starting in 2025, fees and
payments will be collected on a parity basis between the two
nations.
Planning to sign a new agreement on international road
transport with China
Uzbekistan plans to sign a new agreement on international road
transport with China. This was revealed during a meeting between
the Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan, Ilkhom Makhkamov, and the
Minister of Transport of China, Li Xiaopeng. Ilkhom Makhkamov
highlighted several important issues that need to be jointly
resolved to strengthen cooperation. In particular, he emphasized
the need to increase the official quota for the exchange of permit
forms for national carriers.
Establishing a joint venture with German Rhenus
company
Uztemiryulcontainer (a joint-stock company in Uzbekistan that
manages the country's railway container transportation) and German
Rhenus SE & Co. have established a Uzcontargo Andijon joint
venture. The center is set to be engaged in the organization of
container block trains, the performance of loading and unloading
work with cars and containers, providing services for their
storage, as well as the implementation of multimodal services from
door to door.
Cotton Logistics acquiring significant share of
Uztemiryulkonteyner
An agreement has been reached for the privatization of 35
percent of the state's stake in Uztemiryulkonteyner (a joint-stock
company in Uzbekistan that manages the country's railway container
transportation) by the Cotton Logistics company. The process of
open bidding for 35 percent of the state share in
Uztemiryulkonteyner has begun, with the consulting firm Alkes
Research engaged as a privatization advisor. As part of the
privatization process, the consultant conducted a large-scale
marketing campaign. As a result, within the established timeframe,
three bidders submitted their binding proposals. Cotton Logistics,
which offered the highest price, was recognized as the winner of
the bidding, with a buyout price of over $15.5 million.
Discussing discuss joint projects on construction of
railroads with Kazakhstan
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan discussed the implementation of joint
projects on the construction of the Uchkuduk-Kyzylorda and
Darbaza-Maktaaral railroads. The sides also noted the possibilities
of developing cargo transportation through the Aktau and Kuryk
ports through the formation of competitive tariffs for
transportation and port services by Kazakhstan's side.
Investment agreement signed for
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project
By signing this investment agreement for the design,
construction, financing, operation, and maintenance of the
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, the long and challenging
negotiation process has transitioned into the practical phase of
implementing such a large-scale infrastructure project of regional
and international significance.
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