The largest container ship in the history of the Port of Riga, MSC INGRID, has successfully completed handling at the Port of Riga. The vessel, 294.06 m long, 32.25 m wide and with a displacement of 53,208 GT, belongs to the international Swiss company MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company), which now includes the Port of Riga in its regular container route.
Prime Ministers of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov and Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze visited the office of JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, where the Georgian delegation was presented with digital solutions in the railway industry. In particular, the guests got acquainted with the work of the Single Digital Window application and intelligent systems aimed at accelerating cargo transportation and increasing the transparency of logistics.
The annual Black Sea Platform conference, organized by the EU-Georgia Business Council with the support of the USAID Economic Governance Program, was held in Georgia. The participants focused on the development of the Middle Corridor, its key challenges and opportunities.
The construction of a new container hub is underway in the Kazakh port of Aktau, which will increase its throughput capacity to 240 thousand TEU per year. According to JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the site has completed clearing an area of 24 hectares, more than 313 thousand tons of soil have been delivered, and vertical planning work is 65% complete. More than 100 units of equipment are involved in the construction, and the work is carried out in two shifts of 12 hours each to ensure high construction dynamics.
In 2024, intercontinental rail traffic along the New Silk Road rebounded significantly after a two-year decline caused by European logistics companies abandoning the route due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. According to the Eurasian Rail Alliance, traffic volumes increased by more than 80% compared to 2023, reaching 380,434 TEU. Despite the development of the Trans-Caspian Corridor, most cargo continues to move along the northern route via Poland, which accounted for 55.7% of the total last year.
CargoBeamer, a specialist in intermodal transport and freight migration from road to rail, has raised €65 million in equity and debt financing from Orion Infrastructure Capital (OIC). With €50 million previously raised from an existing shareholder and €90 million in grants from the German Federal Railway Authority and the Swiss Federal Office of Transport, the total investment over the past 12 months has reached €205 million.
In January 2025, global air cargo volumes grew by 2% year-on-year, significantly slower than the +11% growth recorded last year. The slowdown was due to a high comparison base, lower e-commerce demand and an earlier Lunar New Year (LNY) holiday. In week 5 (27 January – 2 February), volumes were down 12% compared to the previous week, mainly due to a 33% drop in cargo flows from the Asia-Pacific region, where widespread factory closures began on 29 January. However, Central and South America (+16%) and Africa (+11%) showed growth, driven by increased shipments of flowers for Valentine’s Day.
Euroports and GEK TERNA have officially signed a sub-concession agreement for the Philippos B commercial port in Kavala, Greece. The terminal, operated by Euroports, will be an important step in the company’s expansion in the Mediterranean. The partnership with GEK TERNA, a leading Greek group in infrastructure, energy and logistics, aims to modernize the port in line with European standards.
European countries may introduce a tax on shipping companies using the Baltic Sea to cover the cost of protecting undersea cables. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said the tax would act as an “insurance fee” for possible damage to infrastructure on the seabed, similar to landing fees at airports.
Kazakhstan and Georgia are expanding their cooperation in transport and logistics: during a meeting of the prime ministers of the two countries, the launch of a new multimodal terminal of PTC Holding in the port of Poti was announced. This project will become a key element of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), opening up additional opportunities for increasing cargo flow. The new terminal with an area of 9 hectares will be able to handle up to 80,000 containers per year, providing transshipment of goods between the universal park and containers.
