Azerbaijan News 13 October 2026 20:39 (UTC +04:00)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 13. Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan plays an important role in enhancing the efficiency of the Middle Corridor, and transit volumes are growing year after year, the country's Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov at a gala reception in Baku marking the 35th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s independence, Trend's correspondent reports.
“Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan plays a key role in enhancing the efficiency of the Middle Corridor. Transit volumes are increasing year after year,” the minister noted.
According to him, Turkmenistan has a modern transportation infrastructure and has made significant investments in its seaport, railways, and other logistics facilities.
The international transport route across the Caspian Sea connects Central Asia with the South Caucasus and, further on, with Türkiye and European markets. The ports of Baku (Alat) and Turkmenbashi are important hubs on this route, facilitating the transshipment of cargo between maritime and land transport.
In February 2026, representatives of railway companies from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Georgia discussed expanding cooperation within the framework of the Middle Corridor, increasing freight traffic, and digitizing transportation. In April, during talks in Baku, representatives from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan explored opportunities to more fully utilize the potential of seaports and increase transit shipments.
In June 2025, the first freight train departed from the Chinese city of Jinhua for Baku via Turkmenistan along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). The train, consisting of 100 containers, traveled to the port of Turkmenbashi, from where the cargo was to be transported across the Caspian Sea to Baku. This route expands the options for delivering cargo from China to Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and onward to Europe.