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Turkmen, Kyrgyz Officials Discuss New Export Routes to Europe via Caspian Sea

By Aygerim Sarymbetova November 16, 2024

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The deputy prime ministers also discussed plans to organize goods transportation along the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Russia route or through Azerbaijan’s Port of Alat to Europe. / 24.kz

The deputy prime ministers of Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan have begun discussions to establish a new multimodal cargo transportation route through the Caspian Sea, aiming to connect Central Asia with European markets.

During a virtual meeting on November 13, Mammetkhan Chakyyev, the head of Turkmenistan’s Transport and Communications Agency, and Bakyt Torobayev, Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, explored opportunities for cooperation in energy, transport, infrastructure, agriculture, and trade, according to the 24.kg news website.

“They emphasized that it is important to continue to develop trade relations and increase the flow of goods through the Caspian Sea. This opens up great opportunities for creating convenient logistics both within the region and beyond,” the report stated.

The deputy prime ministers also discussed plans to organize goods transportation along the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Russia route or through Azerbaijan’s Port of Alat to Europe. According to the officials, these routes could bolster economic cooperation between the two nations and enhance regional and international trade capabilities.

Additionally, the two sides considered implementing lower tariffs for transport and port services, which would encourage Kyrgyz carriers to utilize the Turkmenbashi International Seaport more frequently for trans-Caspian cargo shipments.

According to Business Turkmenistan, this initiative could significantly enhance the appeal of the proposed routes, connecting Kyrgyzstan with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Russia, or offering an alternative pathway through Azerbaijan to Europe.

In late October, Igor Golubev, Deputy Chairman of the Association of International Cargo Carriers of the Kyrgyz Republic, highlighted efforts to establish a new transport corridor across the Caspian Sea. He noted that the route would start in Turkmenbashi and end in Astrakhan, facilitated by ferries.

“We have initiated a project that will make it possible to transport cargo by an alternative route. There is a political decision for us to find a ferry manufacturer, produce them and deliver them to the Caspian Sea for Kyrgyz carriers,” Golubev said.

Golubev also mentioned that Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Transport is searching for ferries in the Mediterranean and Black Seas to relocate them to the Caspian. Concurrently, dredging operations are underway in Astrakhan to address declining water levels in the Caspian Sea.

In October, Akylbek Japarov, the head of the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers, discussed the opening of this new alternative route with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk. Currently, most goods are transported through Kazakhstan. The proposed logistics route, however, would traverse the Caspian Sea and connect two major international transport corridors: North-South and West-East. This route is expected to streamline goods delivery between Russia and Kyrgyzstan by passing through the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The Caspian Sea route could also reduce delivery distances for southern, North Caucasian, central, and northwestern regions of Russia. However, transit through Kazakhstan will remain the primary option for transportation from the Volga, Siberia, Ural, and Far East regions.

Earlier, Kyrgyz Deputy Transport and Communications Minister Bekzhan Rysmendeyev reiterated his country’s interest in developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, which bypasses Russia. He emphasized Kyrgyzstan’s support for initiatives to enhance infrastructure and multimodal logistics.