EBRD to expand maritime, logistics investment along Middle Corridor

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 21. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will continue to support maritime infrastructure and logistics development as part of the Middle Corridor, Head of the EBRD’s Baku Office Nataly Mouravidze said at the EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum in Baku on Wednesday, Trend’s correspondent reports from the event.

According to her, supporting sustainable transport and regional connectivity is a key pillar of the EBRD’s strategy for Azerbaijan, approved in 2025 and covering a 4-year period.

She noted that the bank began financing projects related to the Middle Corridor long before the route gained widespread prominence.

"Specifically, the EBRD financed the acquisition of dry-cargo vessels by the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company for operation in international waters. These vessels are used to support the Middle Corridor.

In the future, we plan to expand our investments in maritime infrastructure as existing capacities reach their limits," the bank representative pointed out.

Furthermore, the EBRD has financed the expansion of the port of Aktau in Kazakhstan and recently signed an agreement concerning a bond issuance by Kazakhstan’s national railway company.

She also highlighted support for the development of a logistics center and warehouse facilities within the Alat Free Economic Zone, achieved through private-sector financing.

According to her, such investments help make transport and logistics processes along the Middle Corridor more environmentally sustainable.

"When assessing the efficiency of the corridor, it’s important to consider not only the volume of goods transported or the number of containers moved, but also the additional economic value generated through the interaction of all key stakeholders along the route.

This applies not only to Azerbaijan, but to all countries situated along the Middle Corridor," she remarked.