“Within Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TMTM), it is proposed a transport connection between Iran and Europe through Astara, an Iran-Azerbaijan border point. This route will significantly reduce the travel time of freight deliveries between Europe and Asia. The project is developing very fast, as more and more companies are interested in,” Ruslan Baciu, Developing Manager at Intertrans Unigrup (a TMTM member company) said at Railway Pro Technology and Services Forum, an event organised by Railway PRO, Club Feroviar and the Romanian Railway Industry Association (AIF) in April 2017.
In Astara, there is a terminal with rail and road connection and ensures the container transshipment to and from Iran. Its capacity is 400 TEU and can process a train per day (with 20 wagons).
For freight transport, the TMTM propose a China-Port of Batumi (Georgia)-Constanta Port (Romania)-Europe route, and, from Iran, the route is directed through Astara-Batumi Port-Constanta Port.
The TMTM links Europe-Asia axis and includes companies from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine, Minsheng Logistics (China), Azerbaijani Caspian Shipping and Translogist, as well as some ports on the route.
Through Dostyk (situated in Kazakhstan’s Almaty Region, on the border with Xinjiang, China) to Europe, using Batumi and Constanta ports, the transit time is 20-25 days, while using sea transport from China to Central Europe (through China’s ports and Westen Europe ports), the transit time is 45 days.
The reduction of transit time and costs for freight deliveries, the costs’ optimization and the increase of transit potential are among the route’s advantages.
The project on the delivery of the goods from China/Asia to European Union, through Batumi and vice-versa was initiated under intergovernmental conventions signed by Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine.
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