Caucasus

A meeting of the Working Group on the Development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route was held in Ankara. Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO), a subsidiary of AZCON Holding, participated. The company’s delegation was led by Tariel Mirzayev, Deputy Chairman of the Board of ASCO, who presented the carrier’s position on key issues related to the route’s development.

In the first ten months of 2025, 292 container trains departed from China along the Trans-Caspian Route (TITR), a 12% increase compared to the same period last year. According to Samruk-Kazyna JSC, this growth was driven by a well-established terminal infrastructure system and efficient logistics with China.

The aggressive strategy of leading shipping companies – fleet expansion and active acquisition of terminal assets – is forcing other players to increase investment. While the global container fleet grew by an average of 1 million TEU annually from 2016 to 2022, over the past three years, the rate has increased to 2.5 million TEU per year. Peak capacity additions are expected in 2027–2028, when the volumes of new container ships could exceed 4 million TEU annually.

Maersk has opened a new Ground Freight terminal in Savannah, Georgia, expanding the company’s integrated logistics network in the United States. The new 20,000-square-foot facility features three docks and a fleet of on-site vehicles for efficient pickup and delivery services in the local market.

On December 3-4, 2025, the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace Hotel in Tbilisi hosted a key event in the field of transport logistics in Georgia – the international conference MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT AND TRANSIT FORUM 2025.

Georgian Industrial Group announced plans to launch two sea ferries on the Kuryk (Kazakhstan) – Alyat (Azerbaijan) route in the first half of 2026. The project aims to establish regular transport links across the Caspian Sea and increase cargo traffic along a key link in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.

A meeting of the General Assembly of the Founders of the International Association of the Eurasian Transport Route was held in Baku, chaired by Azerbaijan. The meeting was attended by the heads of the railway administrations of Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Rovshan Rustamov, head of Azerbaijan Railways, announced that the legal registration of the association, headquartered in Baku, had been fully completed, and its establishment opens new opportunities for the development of the southern branch of the Middle Corridor and strengthens Azerbaijan’s role as a key transit bridge between Central Asia and Europe.

The 83rd meeting of the CIS Railway Transport Council was held in Baku, attended by railway administrations from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Central Asian countries, as well as representatives from Georgia, Iran, Armenia, Latvia, Estonia, and international industry organizations. Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) CEO Rovshan Rustamov noted that transport cooperation plays a key role in the region’s economic integration, and the development of unified railway coordination strengthens the resilience of the CIS transport system.

A meeting between the leadership delegations of Azerbaijan Railways (part of AZCON Holding) and Kazakhstan Railways was held in Baku to strengthen railway cooperation between the countries. The parties discussed the dynamics of cooperation in recent years and the role of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan as key participants in the East-West Transport Corridor, ensuring the safe and efficient organization of international freight transport, as well as expanding the partnership between the Port of Baku and the ports of Kazakhstan.

A meeting between the management of KTZ Express and KTZ and an Austrian delegation led by Mr. Haubner, Second President of the National Council of the Austrian Parliament, was held at the headquarters of JSC NC KTZ in Astana. The parties discussed expanding cooperation between the two countries’ railway operators, prospects for developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), and the participation of Austrian companies in regional infrastructure projects.