Transport industry experts and representatives from regional associations in Central Asia convened virtually on 14 February 2024 to discuss the potential of the Turkmenbashi International Seaport as a key transit hub for exports from the region.
Organized by the USAID Trade Program in Central Asia, in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and supported by the Turkmen Logistics Association, the round table provided a platform for in-depth dialogue. Larisa Kislyakova, Chairman of the Central Asian Transport and Logistics Partnership (TLP), moderated the event.
A pivotal presentation was delivered by Seyitguly Bayseidov, Deputy Chairman of the Agency for Maritime and River Transport of Turkmenistan “Turkmendenizderyayollary” and acting Head of the Turkmenbashi International Seaport. Bayseidov offered a comprehensive overview of the port’s infrastructure, services, and technical facilities, highlighting its position as the largest modern port complex in the Caspian Sea with a capacity of 17 million tons of cargo annually.
Detailed information on tariffs and services for each of the port’s six terminals was presented, showcasing its versatility and capability to cater to diverse cargo needs. The port includes Passenger Ferry Terminal, Bulk Cargo Terminal, General Cargo Terminal, polypropylene terminal, container terminal, oil loading terminal.
This information can be found on the official website of the Turkmenbashi International Port: https://port.com.tm/?page_id=14&lang=en
And as Bayseidov emphasized, the Turkmenbashi port is open to constructive and interested partnership with exporters and shippers from all Central Asian countries, offering a flexible tariff policy and state-of-the-art services from an infrastructural point of view.
Representatives from the public and private sectors of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, alongside experts from the Transport and Logistics Center of Turkmenistan and Turkmen Railways, also gave presentations highlighting the significance of Turkmenbashi port within Eurasian transport links.
A key focus was placed on the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor, the Europe-Caucasus-Asia TRACECA corridor, and the CASCA+ project+ (the CASCA+ project is being implemented on the basis of the international multimodal route “Countries of the Asia-Pacific region-China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey-Europe”), demonstrating the port’s role in diversifying and expanding routes. Kyrgyzstan’s intention to develop a transport corridor through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan with access to the port of Turkmenbashi and onward transshipment of goods in the northern direction to Russia was emphasized.
The importance of the Caspian harbor of Turkmenistan in these international transport initiatives is indisputable, since the Turkmenbashi port, on the one hand, by offering transit, diversifies the routes of the Middle Trans-Caspian Corridor. On the other hand, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan are interested in using the transit potential of the Turkmen port. After all, the role of the Caspian Sea as a transit cargo transshipment center is growing due to the urgency for alternative routes for the delivery of goods between China and Europe.
The round table saw discussions of emerging transport schemes, including the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway corridor. Experts believe this project, upon completion, could add 5-6 million tons of cargo annually to the China-Europe trade flowing through the Middle Corridor.
Further promising news came from Bekzod Kholmatov, Director of the Center for the Study of Transport and Logistics Development under the transport ministry of Uzbekistan. He revealed ongoing negotiations with China to develop a corridor running through Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, connecting to Europe via Turkmenbashi port and Iran. This initiative could involve reorienting some cargo from marine routes, particularly due to the current Red Sea crisis. Kholmatov emphasized the potential for Central Asian collaboration to unlock the full potential of this corridor and ultimately boost cargo flow through Turkmenbashi.
Private sector feedback were also heard during the event. Shippers, logisticians, and other experts shared their invaluable on-the-ground insights and they are the first to encounter bottlenecks. Through such dialogue platforms as this round table, private sector’s opinion serve as a guide to action for decision makers in governments and the public sector, ensuring policies align with industry needs and unlock the true potential of Turkmenbashi port as a regional transit hub.///nCa, 15 February 2024