A single center for management of transit freight created
It was decided to create a single Headquarters for the management of transit freight at a meeting of the Coordinating Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Transit Freight, chaired by Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev.
The main task of the Headquarters is to simplify and electronize the procedures carried out at border checkpoints, synchronize the planning of transit operations and improve the processes of a single dispatch control. Acting in the interest of the country rather than individual participants in the process, the Headquarters will continuously monitor operations and report regularly to the Secretariat of the Coordinating Council.
A call center will be set up at the Headquarters for prompt solution to the problems of transit cargo carriers.
“Procedural rules” were also signed on the management of transit cargo operations carried out on the territory of Baku International Sea Port. The document regulates cargo handling processes, sequence of operations and documentation of deadlines. It was decided to sign similar procedural rules for other border crossing points as well.
The participants of the meeting were informed that as a result of studies by local and foreign experts a “Transit Road Map” was drawn up. The map defines short-, medium- and long-term goals for fully unlocking the country’s transit.
It was noted at the meeting that the transit freight in the direction of East-West and North-West (excluding pipeline) compared to January-June 2021 in the same months of 2022 was 325 thousand tons (up 15%) and 873 thousand tons (up 205%), and rose to 2.5 million tons and 1.3 million tons, respectively.
In January-June 2022, the transportation of oil of Turkmen origin through the BTC pipeline compared with the same period of 2021 increased by 746 thousand tons (155%) and amounted to 1.2 million tons.
Oil products (especially oil products of Kazakh origin) in the direction of Yalama–Boyuk–Kesik increased by 772 thousand tons (an increase of 707%) to 0.9 million tons in the first 6 months of 2022 compared to the same period.
At the meeting, an exchange of views took place on the dynamic tariff policy by rail to ensure smooth cargo flow through the territory of Azerbaijan.
It should be noted that the Coordinating Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Transit Freight is a collegial body of executive power established to attract transit cargoes to the transport corridors passing through the country and to ensure their high-quality transportation.
