During Transport Week in Almaty, Rovshan Rustamov, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways, Lasha Abashidze, CEO of Georgian Railways, and Ufuk Yalçın, Chairman of the Board and CEO of TCDD Taşımacılık, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to organize freight transportation via the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway. The document aims to increase the route’s competitiveness, attract additional freight traffic by optimizing delivery times, ensure stable transportation conditions, and implement transparent tariffs.
The main objectives of the agreement were to create a stable and predictable operating regime for the BTK line, improve conditions for shippers, and increase transportation volumes. The parties defined delivery times, excluding customs procedures, as no more than 24 hours for the Alat-Boyuk Kesik and Gardabani-Akhalkalaki sections, 48 hours for Yalama-Boyuk Kesik, and in Turkey, 60 hours for Kars-Mersin and 70 hours for Kars-Istanbul, allowing for cargo delivery from Alat to Mersin in less than four and a half days.
Furthermore, the memorandum provides for the exchange of information regarding deviations from standard delivery times and the agreement on shipping rates. Priorities also include the creation of a joint digital platform for cargo tracking and documentation management, which will increase the transparency and efficiency of the BTK route.