OMM Newsroom
The competitiveness of international trade depends on how efficiently goods move across borders. These issues are in focus at the 22nd International Exhibition for Transport and Logistics, TransLogistica Uzbekistan 2026, taking place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from November 10 to 12.
Some 120 companies and brands from 16 countries are taking part in the exhibition, AnewZ reports. The event provides a platform to discuss transport infrastructure, logistics services and ways to strengthen international trade ties.
For landlocked countries such as Uzbekistan, access to international markets depends not only on the availability of transport routes but also on the cost, speed and reliability of freight services. Differences in transit tariffs, border procedures and infrastructure capacity can significantly affect businesses’ competitiveness and the final price of goods.
Transport route affects costs
Rail freight rates for shipping a container from Tashkent’s Sergeli district to Istanbul illustrate how route selection affects costs. Transporting a 20-foot container via Turkmenistan, Iran and the Caspian route costs about $2,305, while the route through Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan costs about $2,704.
The corresponding estimated costs for a 40-foot container are $2,972 and $4,284. These differences highlight the importance of route efficiency and infrastructure capacity.
Middle Corridor needs more than $55 billion in investment
A World Bank report released in September 2026 estimates that countries along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, known as the Middle Corridor, will need more than $55 billion in investment by 2040.
According to the report, targeted investment could more than triple trade volumes along the corridor, halve travel times, increase regional gross domestic product by 3.3% and create about 2 million additional jobs by 2040. If infrastructure development is accompanied by reforms to improve trade and transport efficiency, freight volumes could quadruple and travel times could fall by two-thirds.
As Central Asian and South Caucasus countries strengthen transport links, the economic benefits will depend on how effectively individual infrastructure projects are integrated into broader regional networks.
Reducing delivery times, improving border procedures and expanding digital logistics systems could help companies cut costs and access international markets more efficiently.
