OMM Newsroom
Trade and freight volumes along the Middle Corridor are increasing. Freight carried on the route connecting Chinese and European markets reached about 4.7 million tonnes in 2025, compared with less than 1 million tonnes in 2021, AnewZ reported.
Freight and infrastructure expand
The Middle Corridor, formally known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, links China to European markets via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye. Changing geopolitical conditions have increased demand for alternative trade links, raising the route’s strategic importance.
Uzbekistan is also expanding its use of the corridor, with freight volumes on the route doubling to 1.2 million tonnes. The Middle Corridor currently accounts for 28% of Uzbekistan’s freight traffic with the European Union.
Levan Berdzenishvili, commercial manager at Tbilisi Dry Port, told AnewZ that demand for freight transportation through Georgia is rising as the Middle Corridor grows in importance.
Berdzenishvili said infrastructure across the region is being upgraded, including the expansion of port capacity and increased railway throughput. He added that adverse weather on the Caspian Sea and congestion at ports hinder the movement of cargo.
Under normal conditions, cargo can reach Georgia within 20 days, he said. Berdzenishvili highlighted the country’s importance in helping Uzbek goods reach global markets and called for closer cooperation among countries along the corridor.
Investment and a new logistics hub
The route’s growing importance is attracting major investment commitments. China has pledged about $23 billion for the section running through Kazakhstan. The European Union has announced $13.5 billion for infrastructure, logistics and digital integration across the broader network.
The funding is expected to ease capacity constraints, modernize ports and railways, and improve logistics operations, potentially making freight transport between Asia and Europe more efficient.
Uzbekistan is also investing in its domestic logistics network to strengthen its position on international trade routes. Lobar Mirsagatova, sales director general at Silkway CA, told AnewZ that the company plans to build a major logistics hub in Tashkent’s Yangiyul district with strategic partners, including Uzbekistan Railways.
The first phase of the hub is scheduled for completion by March 2027. Construction of warehouses is planned to begin in the second half of that year.
The hub will bring cargo handling, inspection, warehousing and terminal services together at one site. It is intended to serve as an integrated logistics hub for manufacturers and distributors.
Despite rising freight volumes and investment, challenges remain that could affect the Middle Corridor’s long-term competitiveness. Unpredictable weather on the Caspian Sea, port congestion and differences in cross-border procedures can delay shipments and increase costs.
Closer coordination among governments, port authorities, railway operators and logistics companies is considered important to improve the route’s reliability and meet growing demand.
