Ilham Aliyev called on Turkey and Turkmenistan to integrate into the transport and coordination infrastructure in the Caspian

Baku/14.12.22/Turan: Azerbaijan, Turkey and Turkmenistan have achieved enormous success in the field of transport and planning, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated at the summit of the heads of Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan on Wednesday.

"Our countries have implemented many projects that open up new opportunities for cooperation in the field of transport communication," Aliyev stressed. “Azerbaijan is an active participant in the East-West and North-South transport corridors and has implemented major projects on its territory related to rail, road and air transport. As a result, Azerbaijan has become an important transit country," Aliyev further noted.

The volume of total transit through Azerbaijan for 10 months of this year increased by 80% compared to the same period last year.

The liberation of the occupied territories in 2020 opened new opportunities for the development of regional and global transport communications. Azerbaijan is actively engaged in the Zangezur corridor project. On the site of this project, across the territory of Azerbaijan, 40% of the work on the railway and 70% on the road has been completed. All work will be completed in 2024.

Baku International Sea Trade Port has the capacity to transship 15 million tons of cargo per year. It is planned to increase this volume to 25 million tons. Aliyev invited companies from Turkey and Turkmenistan to take advantage of the opportunities of the Alyat Free Economic Zone on the Caspian coast.

Azerbaijan has the largest merchant fleet in the Caspian with more than 50 cargo ships. The Baku Shipbuilding Plant is operating at full capacity, and it is possible to build ships of any type on it.

“Azerbaijan has one of the largest fleets of cargo aircraft in our region, numbering 18 aircraft. In the next 10 years, it is planned to replenish this fleet with nine more aircraft," Aliyev said.