Today, a ceremony for the departure of the Poti-Baku express block train was held at Georgia's Poti Port, with the participation of the management of “Azerbaijan Railways” CJSC (ADY) and “Georgian Railways” JSC.
According to information provided to Modern.az by Azerbaijan Railways, thanks to this service, cargo owners will be able to save not only time but also costs such as the storage of loaded and empty containers at the terminal.
It was added that the block train operating on the Poti–Baku route will connect the Black Sea ports with Azerbaijan's ports and terminals, and at the same time, it is a simplified logistics service that allows cargo owners to obtain containers from Poti to Baku and back at specified times, without any delays.
In a statement to our website regarding the matter, Arzu Naghiyev, Chairman of the Milli Majlis Azerbaijan-Georgia Interparliamentary Working Group, stated that the launch of the Poti-Baku Express Block train marks a new stage in strategic partnership with Georgia:
“At the same time, this proves that the Middle Corridor is sustainable and reliable, and it strengthens Azerbaijan's regional logistics leadership. The launch of the Poti-Baku Express Block train is a matter that maintains a stable transit balance in the region until the Zangazur corridor is realized.
As for the issue of this communication being an alternative to the Zangazur corridor, there are several important points here. I believe that the Poti-Baku Express Block train is not an alternative, but a complement. That is, this is a direct land connection, and at the same time, a railway combination that goes over the sea, and it is currently a fully operational, low-risk, insured route. The Baku-Poti route, that is, the express Block train route, transforms Georgia's cooperation from a classic transit relationship to a logistics partnership. There are also several innovations here.
The innovations are that cargo reaches its destination directly via port-railway. Coordination of operational decisions between Azerbaijan Railways and Georgian Railways increases, delays are eliminated, and the Middle Corridor confirms its real operability. The Caspian-Black Sea connection is no longer a project, but is becoming a stably operating route".
The committee chairman added that transit time is also being discussed here:
"Previously, if cargo on the Poti-Baku line arrived in 5-7 days, now this period is reduced to 2-3 days. Waiting and reloading costs at ports decrease. The reduction of time in trade turnover is also a very important issue. Because both European and Turkish markets, as well as China and Central Asia, constantly keep this in mind, and it is attractive for them. The main point is that various countries are monitoring the development of these processes, and using these routes in the future is a very important issue for them. I repeat, this is not just a transit issue, but about Azerbaijan becoming a logistics hub and using surrounding states as a means to this end".
