On 19 November 2015, the presentation of the prospects and opportunities of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) between China-Turkey-Europe was held in Istanbul, Turkey. The presentation entitled “The International Trans-Caspian Thoroughfare — New Multimodal Decisions” was held within the annual International Transport Logistics Exhibition Logitrans, with the assistance of the Cooperation Council of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Turkey and Turkish speaking countries in the shape a round table.
Representatives of large transport logistic operators of Turkey, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Lithuania took part in the mentioned action. Participants of a round table studied the project and noted the importance of the development of the Trans-Caspian route. In their opinion, the Trans-Caspian route has a high transit potential. Representatives of the Turkish side expressed a willingness to take part in the development project of the Trans-Caspian route.
As a result of a meeting, agreements were made to organise the first demonstration train from China to Europe and to commission a regular container service in the mentioned direction.
According to a statement made by the Director of Trance Kavkasus Terminals LLC Levan Sulaberidze, the company together with co-founders of the International Consortium already works and carries out the activity in all countries operating along this route. “Correspondingly we already were in China, in Ukraine and now we are in Istanbul. At the present time we are at a big transport exhibition. Within this project in the territory of Georgia some thousands of containers are expected to pass through within the next year and thus freight from China will pass across Turkey in the near future and from next year freight will pass through Ukraine to Northern and Eastern Europe. By means of this project, Georgia will return to that traditional, historical trade route known as the Silk Way”, he noted.
“Together with opening the project of the Silk Way and by means of our neighbours including Georgia, we have the brilliant possibility of transporting freight from Europe to China and vice versa, through countries such as Turkey, which by its geographical location connects the West to the East. We are sure that by means of ports, Georgia will soon become one of the important links in this route. Due to the opening of a new railway line, there appears an alternative to sea routes and at the same time trade between our countries Turkey and Georgia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, China and Europe will develop to the utmost”, said Yalmaz Soikan, head of Turkish Company Soyvcan Group.
Through the Trans-Caspian thoroughfare to Turkey and Europe, the Transport Konsortium has been created for the purpose of transporting Chinese freight. The founders of the consortium are Mishgeng Logistics (China); Trans Caucasus Terminals, a subsidiary of Georgian Railways; KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan Railways; Kaspia, the international marine steamship company (Azerbaijan); and Caravan Logistics (Azerbaijan). The interested country, Turkey, is a large partner of China and is considered an associated member.
(Source: Georgian Railways)
