Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have agreed to accelerate the development of transport infrastructure along the Middle Corridor, including plans for Uzbekistan to build a new ferry and for the two countries to establish a joint fleet in the Caspian Sea.
Uzbekistan’s Transport Minister Ilhom Makhkamov said the two sides had also agreed to establish joint ventures and resume ferry services as part of efforts to strengthen transport links along the Trans-Caspian route.
Around 1.5 million tonnes of transit cargo currently pass through the Port of Baku, according to Makhkamov, highlighting the role of Azerbaijan’s Caspian gateway in the region’s east-west freight network.
The two countries are also planning a substantial expansion of air connectivity. Weekly flights between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are expected to increase from 18 to 40, further strengthening links between the two markets.
The planned maritime and aviation measures form part of broader efforts to increase the capacity and efficiency of the Middle Corridor, which connects Central Asia with the South Caucasus and onward European markets via the Caspian Sea.