Alakbar Azizli: Change in Caspian water levels is challenge for Middle Corridor

The change in the Caspian Sea's water level is also a challenge for the Middle Corridor, Alakbar Azizli, Director of Sustainability and Emissions Management at Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO), said on the second day of Baku Climate Action Week 2026 (BCAW 2026), Report informs.

Azizli underlined that this problem has persisted for three years: "Shipping companies, and the shipping sector as a whole, are the first to face this problem. The sector clearly understands that we have two types of problems: the commercial fleet and the offshore fleet. Each fleet has its own specific issues. Let's clarify the matter with the commercial fleet. Today, one of our ferries can carry only 80% of the cargo from Kazakhstan. This means 20% less cargo is transported. In other words, this affects not only ASCO but also the financial resources of our government as a whole."

The director noted that this is a challenge not only for Azerbaijan but also for the Middle Corridor and its users: "As for offshore vessels, the situation is even worse. As is known, we have tugboats, supply ships, and geological vessels. These ships operate around platforms and in the areas of large oil fields in the Caspian. Therefore, we face problems here too. Now we cannot enter the previous berths."

He added that the same situation has occurred in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and at the Alat Port: "We cannot bring the vessel to the required level for proper loading. Previously, there were problems with cut‑off old drilling rigs and underwater pipes, which create risks of hull puncture. Day by day, all this becomes a challenge not only for ASCO but for every player in the Caspian basin, including the shipping sector. On a daily basis, we try to manage our vessels more safely."