From September 9 to 11, the BLACK AND CASPIAN FREIGHT FORUM 2025: CORRIDORS, CARGOS, INFRASTRUCTURE was held in Azerbaijan at the Four Seasons Hotel Baku. It was an international event that brought together 180 participants from 18 countries to discuss key trends in transport, logistics and international freight transportation.
Sponsors and Partners:
🏅 General partner – Alliance Multimodal
🏅 Silver sponsors – MALBI trans, Absheron Logistics Center / Abşeron Logistika Mərkəzi, Azurite Logistics, DELTA SHIPPING AGENCY, CONSTANTA, ROMANIA
🏅 Session sponsor: CS Conti-Service, Internationale Spedition GmbH – 38 Photos – Cargo & Freight Company
🏅 Coffee break sponsor: PRIME MARINE LTD, Belgorod-Dnestrovskyi Sea Port
Official information support:UIRR (Belgium), NSBS (Bulgaria), USER (Romania), FFAA (Azerbaijan), ABADA (Azerbaijan), TLA (Turkmenistan), Ukrainian Logistics Alliance (ULA), Interlegal (law firm, Ukraine)
The first day of the event, September 9, was dedicated to Evening cocktail reception, where in a relaxed atmosphere the participants gathered in the Art Garden Restaurant (Shakh Garden) for registration and first acquaintance with potential partners.
The grand opening of the forum took place on September 10 with a welcoming speech from Roman Dedkov, Founder and CEO of the organizing company RDL group, who emphasized the importance of the platform for consolidating the professional community and strengthening international cooperation.
Yuriy Husyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Azerbaijan, addressed the participants with warm words, noting the role of transport integration in the development of the region.
Julien de Fraipont, Ambassador of Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Baku also addressed a welcoming speech, emphasizing the importance of developing the TITR corridor.
General partner of the forum – Natig Jafarov, CEO ofAlliance Multimodal – in his speech emphasized the strategic role of Azerbaijan as a multimodal hub, presented plans for the development of railway routes and new transit solutions.
The first session of the conference was devoted to questions of International Transport Corridors in the Black Sea and Caspian regions – sustainability, adaptation, opportunities.
The session was moderated by Liliana Krutonog, General Director of MALBI transs.r.o. (Czech Republic).
Natig Jafarov, CEO, Alliance multimodal (Azerbaijan) discussed the development of transport and logistics infrastructure in Azerbaijan, new routes and transit opportunities.
ALKAN ALİCİK, Managing Director, MSC Mediterranean Shipping CompanyGeorgia LLC (Georgia) emphasized the contribution of MSC to the development of connectivity in the Caspian region and the South Caucasus.
Werner Peeters, Business Development Manager,NFident (Germany) made a presentation on reliability, capacity and competitiveness as the key to the future of the Trans-Caspian route.
Wanxu Dong, Chairman, Beijing Trans Eurasia International Logistics Co.,Ltd (China) presented the prospects for China’s interaction with the countries of the region.
The first session closed successfully with a presentation by Enikö Györfi, Head of Eurasia – China Relations & Cargo Affairs,ÖBBHolding AG (Austria), where a sustainable connection between East and West via Turkey was discussed.
A panel discussion was organized within the conference: Middle Corridor – Competitiveness and Sustainability.
The discussion was moderated by Natig Jafarov, CEO, Alliance multimodal (Azerbaijan).
The participants discussed:
• Key bottlenecks in infrastructure and procedures;
• Digitalization and creation of a single platform to simplify transit;
• Changes in the geopolitical role of the Middle Corridor
Speakers:Altynbek Akylbekov (DB Cargo Eurasia, Kazakhstan), John Brakeveldt (Gosselin Group, Belgium), Alexandra Ogneva( Rhenus Logistics, Germany), Ulvi Ochagly (Sara Logistics, Azerbaijan), Rostomi Lezhava(Metro Logistics, Georgia), Elsevar Guliyev(GIZ, Azerbaijan), Larisa Kislyakova (TLP, Tajikistan), Nijat Asgarov (Absheron Logistics Center, Azerbaijan).
The second session was devoted to sea transportation, raw materials market, legal and insurance support.
Alexander Schmidt, CEO, CS Conti – Service Internationale Spedition GmbH (Germany) considered the challenges and solutions in organizing project logistics and consolidated cargo.
Andrey Kopin, Sales Manager, Wallenius Wilhelmsen (Germany) outlined Ro-Ro services for the Black Sea and Central Asia.
Mikheil Babunashvili, Commercial Director,E60 Shipping Line (Georgia) emphasized the development of ferry service across the Black Sea.
Sairan Mejerov, Executive Director, Heavy Trans (Kazakhstan) explained the specifics of oversized cargo transportation very well.
After the session and a short coffee break, the second Panel Discussion was organized, which was dedicated to the Future of the Region’s Ports.
The following were discussed:
• modernization of port infrastructure until 2030;
• growth in grain, energy and container transportation;
• integration with the railway and road network;
• digitalization and implementation of “smart ports”.
Speakers: Olzhas Arykbayev (Poti TransTerminal, Georgia), Zeki Demirag( Arkas Holding, Türkiye), Oksana Kiktenko ( Belgorod-Dnestrovskyi Sea Port, Ukraine), Klemens Materi( duisport – Duisburger Hafen AG, Germany), Vyacheslav Bezruk (Black Sea Commercial Port, Ukraine), representatives of the port of Kuryk (Kazakhstan).
After the conference, the participants went to the B2B meeting room, having previously scheduled meetings with the companies they were interested in. A total of 80 meetings lasting 15 minutes were held, which provided a 100% opportunity to negotiate based on mutual business interests and pre-agreed preferences.
An exhibition area was organized within the conference. The following companies were among the exhibitors:
- NFident, Alliance multimodal, ABSHERON LOGISTICS CENTER, Azurite Logistics, MALBI-trans s.r.o., Transvector, Bilhorod-Dniester Sea Trade Port, SC DELTA SHIPPING AGENCY SRL, Arkas Georgia, CS Conti – Service Internationale Spedition GmbH
The event ended with a gala dinner, where the award ceremony for partners, sponsors and exhibitors was held. The evening was decorated with a performance by the Ukrainian singer NICOLE.
September 11 was the third day of the event. All participants went on a technical tour to the Absheron Logistics Center, where Nijat Asgarov and the entire team warmly welcomed the guests and introduced them to the infrastructure of the dry port and warehouse complexes. The tour became a platform for business networking and consolidation of the agreements reached.
RDL Group expresses its sincere gratitude to all partners, sponsors, exhibitors and participants of the BLACK AND CASPIAN FREIGHT FORUM 2025 for their trust and active participation. It was your support and involvement that made the forum truly productive and eventful. We are proud that together with you we are creating a space for open dialogue, new ideas and strong business connections.
See you soon!