The organization of sea voyages from Russia to Azerbaijan has once again come to the fore.
Azerbaijan's land borders have been closed for five years, and with the latest decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, the quarantine regime has been extended until April 1, 2026. For this reason, passenger transportation between Azerbaijan and neighboring countries is currently carried out only by air.
Modern.az reports that the new cruise route plan of Russia's “Vodohod” company for the Caspian Sea has attracted attention.
The company's director, Rishat Bagaudinov, stated at the “Transport Russia” forum that an international cruise across the Caspian Sea is planned for the upcoming winter season with the vessel “Nikolay Zharkov”. Within the framework of the route, calls to the ports of Baku and Iran are envisaged, in addition to Makhachkala and Derbent.
The company's press service notes that the planned cruise could connect five Caspian littoral states - Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. Initial options discuss visits to the ports of Makhachkala, Aktau, Turkmenbashi, Baku, and Bandar-Anzali. However, it is emphasized that entry to international ports will only be possible after the signing of relevant intergovernmental agreements.
According to Rishat Bagaudinov, the issue is being worked on jointly with the Russian Ministry of Transport, and the process is quite time-consuming. He also reminded of the existence of visa requirements for Iran and Turkmenistan, stating the importance of resolving visa-free entry possibilities for cruise tourists at the legislative level.
The decision of the Cabinet of Ministers regarding the extension of the quarantine regime does not specifically address the issue of whether sea borders are open or closed for passengers. However, before the pandemic, passenger ferries operated from Baku to the ports of Turkmenbashi and Aktau. "Haqqin.az" reports that during the COVID-19 pandemic, these routes were suspended along with land and air borders. Precisely for this reason, under the current circumstances, it does not seem realistic for the Russian company to organize cruise voyages across the Caspian Sea towards Baku.
