IRU highlights measures to increase investment attractiveness of Middle Corridor

As the Middle Corridor gains strategic importance for Europe–Asia trade, attention is shifting from political coordination to practical implementation, Report informs, citing the International Road Transport Union (IRU).

Facilitation and cooperation, not infrastructure alone, determine corridor performance. Reducing time lost at borders is key to unlocking competitiveness. Tools such as the TIR system, eTIR and eCMR offer immediate efficiency gains. Coordinated political action is needed to translate strategy into bankable projects," the statement says.

It notes that the Brussels discussions on "Sustainable Middle Corridor – from strategic coordination to bankable implementation" examined concrete initiatives to strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of the Middle Corridor as a growing Europe–Asia trade route.

"The corridor is increasingly seen as a driver of regional trade, connectivity and economic development across the countries along the route," the statement said.

IRU EU Goods Transport Associate Director Marc Billiet stressed that connectivity along the route goes beyond infrastructure. The performance of the corridor depends equally on facilitation, predictability and cooperation across countries, particularly given its multimodal nature and multiple border crossings.

Marc Billiet discussed infrastructure and operational challenges for sustainable and green logistics, including bottlenecks at border crossings and modal transfer points.

"Discussions in Brussels confirmed broad alignment among policymakers, financial institutions and industry stakeholders on the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor. While challenges remain, participants underlined that ongoing investments, regulatory improvements and digital integration efforts are strengthening the corridor"s competitiveness and reliability," IRU said.

He also presented IRU's work in support of the corridor"s development through the deployment of facilitation tools, including TIR Green Lanes and digital solutions that reduce delays and improve the efficiency of transport operations.

IRU further pointed to its engagement in piloting eCMR under the EU's Global Gateway strategy, supporting the digitalisation of transport documents and processes along the corridor.

Combining political commitment with the full deployment of facilitation and incentive tools can significantly reduce time lost at borders and strengthen the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor.

The Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian route, is a multimodal transport corridor linking China to Europe via Central Asia, the Caspian Sea and the South Caucasus. Combining rail and maritime segments, it connects key logistics hubs across Kazakhstan, the Caspian ports, Azerbaijan and Georgia before reaching the European Union. Its growing relevance reflects efforts to diversify trade routes and strengthen supply chain resilience between Europe and Asia.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, is an international transport route connecting China with European countries via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The association provides necessary informational support, helps simplify administrative barriers, promotes competitive conditions, and aims to achieve maximum efficiency for participants from various countries, including those not geographically located directly on the TITR route.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan, freight volumes along this route have shown steady positive dynamics: 759,000 tons in 2019, 783,000 tons in 2020, 586,000 tons in 2021, 1.485 million tons in 2022, 2.764 million tons in 2023, and 4.484 million tons in 2024.

According to the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), in 2025 the volume of cargo transported along the Middle Corridor amounted to 4.7 million tons, and by 2027 it is expected to increase by another 10%. By 2027, the corridor"s capacity could reach 10 million tons annually, which would strengthen Azerbaijan's transit potential and open opportunities for attracting additional investment into infrastructure projects.

It should be noted that the target for freight transportation via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route for 2030 is set at 11.4 million tons.