Hong Kong-based company Kerry Logistics sees Uzbekistan as a key player in expanding trade and connections between Asia and Europe through the Trans-China and Middle Corridors, Eurasiatoday reports.
Uzbekistan's strategic location, straddling the Trans-China and other important trade routes, makes it an important node in this corridor.
Anticipating significant benefits for Uzbekistan, Hong Kong logistics operator Kerry-Globalink Logistics highlights the Middle Corridor as a catalyst for trade and economic growth.
It is expected that the corridor, by providing a direct and efficient trade route to the Black Sea, will increase the role of Uzbekistan in international trade.
“This development is likely to attract more investment, support local industry and contribute to the overall economic development of the country,” the company noted.
The collaboration between Kerry Logistics and Uzbekistan is expected to bring positive results for both parties and contribute to the wider economic landscape in the region.
The Middle Corridor, a transport and trade route, connects Asia and Europe, crossing many countries in the region. It represents an alternative to the traditional Northern and Southern corridors.
Starting from China, it spreads both to other countries in the region and beyond Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, then across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, before reaching the European continent.
This strategic Middle Corridor provides land connectivity between the eastern regions of Asia and Europe, offering a shorter route compared to long sea routes.
Note that in 2017 it was announced that Kerry Logistics Network Limited was buying a stake in the Kazakh transport and logistics company Globallink, which has a developed network in the CIS countries.
Then in 2018, Kerry Logistics entered Georgia. She signed a memorandum of understanding with Anaklia City JSC, which implies cooperation in the development of the deep-water port of Anaklia and the special economic zone (SEZ) of the same name.
The Middle Corridor was previously known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). In 2014, the corridor was proposed by seven logistics companies from Kazakhstan (Kazakh Railways and Aktau Sea Port), Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan Railways, Baku Sea Port and Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company) and Georgia (Georgian Railway and Batumi Sea Port).
This corridor has several branches. One at a time, of which cargo is already being delivered from China to the EU both by road and by rail. The railway line through the Marmaray tunnel under the Bosphorus was launched in October 2019.
The first freight train carrying 42 containers is on its way from the Chinese city of Xi'an to Prague. This delivery was organized by ADY Container, a subsidiary of the Azerbaijan Railway, and the Chinese company Xi'an Continental Bridge International Logistics, together with partners from Kazakhstan, Georgia and Turkey.
This event opened a new milestone for this corridor. Thanks to the opening of the tunnel for freight traffic, this route has become much simpler and easier, since one of the two sea sections has been eliminated. Previously, the corridor included two ferry crossings on the Caspian and Marmara seas.
The second Black Sea branch of the Middle Corridor goes northwest to Ukraine. In January 2016, a test trip of a container train took place from the seaport of Chernomorsk to the Kazakh railway station Dostyk (Kazakhstan) on the border with China.
It took about 16 days to cover the entire distance, including two ferry connections: one between Chernomorsk and Batumi (Georgia), the other between Baku and Aktau (Kazakh port).
The third route is being tried by the Polish rail freight operator PKP LHS. Through it, the company intends to gain access from Poland to China and Iran, using the broad gauge in the southern part of the country. In 2018, PKP LHS already conducted trial trains through Ukraine to China and Iran along the Middle Corridor.
However, further development of the route is hampered by a long-standing problem with two Ukrainian state ferries - “Heroes of Shipka” and “Heroes of Plevna”, operated by Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ).
They have been idle since 2016. Firstly, they required repair work. Now the government must decide their future: remain under UZ control or transfer them to another state-owned company. In 2000-2015 Both vessels were chartered by Ukrferry, a private Ukrainian shipping company that provides ferry services to the Black Sea.
CentralAsianLIGHT.org
March 6, 2024