Кавказ

Construction of the third RoPax ferry, commissioned by ASCO, a company managed by AZCON Holding, continues at the Baku Shipyard. The project is proceeding strictly according to the approved schedule and has entered its final stages. The main hull sections have been fully assembled, and work is currently underway on installing piping systems, electrical cables, ventilation systems, and mechanical equipment. Insulation of the living quarters and the construction of the cabin block are also underway.

In 2025, the vessels of ASCO, a company of AZCON Holding, transported 9,085,935 tons of cargo, an increase of 5.38 percent compared to the previous year. The bulk and container shipping segments, as well as the stable operation of the company’s tanker and ferry fleet, contributed primarily to this growth.

Georgian Railway JSC plans to announce a tender soon and begin construction of a new railway line that will provide a direct connection to the planned deep-water port of Anaklia on the Black Sea coast. The company’s CEO, Lasha Abashidze, announced the decision, emphasizing the project’s strategic importance for the development of the country’s transport infrastructure.

For the first time in its history, China’s trade surplus exceeded $1 trillion, reaching $1.076 trillion over the 11 months. This record was set amid a partial détente in relations with the United States – in October, Beijing and Washington agreed to a year-long trade truce. However, US tariffs on Chinese goods remain in place, and certain product categories remain subject to strict tariff restrictions, forcing China to actively restructure its export strategy.

The 20th International Seminar on Capacity Building in Trade and Transport Facilitation was held in the capital of Azerbaijan. It was organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) jointly with the Permanent Secretariat of the IGC TRACECA, with the support of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan. Representatives from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and Turkmenistan, as well as experts from Eastern European countries and the SPECA region, participated in the event. The central theme of the seminar was the digital transformation of multimodal data and document exchange based on UN/CEFACT standards, including the development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Joint Project Company and a syndicate of banks from the People’s Republic of China signed an agreement to finance the construction of a new international railway line connecting the three countries. According to the Kyrgyz government, the total budget for this strategic infrastructure project is estimated at $4.7 billion.

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.