TURKMENISTAN DEVELOPS TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS COOPERATION WITH THE ASTRAKHAN REGION

Another practical step has been taken in the implementation of the current initiatives of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on the creation of transnational transport and transit corridors and logistics centers. At the talks held in Ashgabat between the head of Turkmenistan and the governor of the Astrakhan region Igor Babushkin, issues related to the maximum realization of the potential of the International Seaport of Turkmenbashi and the implementation of passenger and cargo flights to the Russian port of Olya on a regular basis, the creation of a logistics center of Turkmenistan in this port of the Astrakhan region ...

The agreements regarding the creation of a logistics center were concretized at a meeting of the Astrakhan governor with Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, co-chairman of the Turkmen-Russian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation Serdar Berdimuhamedov. The parties noted the effectiveness of inter-port interaction between the regions of the two countries and stressed that the creation of a logistics center will help increase trade between Turkmenistan and the Astrakhan region, maintain current and form new business ties in the field of sea transportation.

The Russian side proposes to place a new facility on the territory of a special economic zone in the area of the Olya port of the Astrakhan region. According to the press service and information from the administration of the governor of the Astrakhan region, an anchor resident is operating in the actively developing economic zone: the port and logistics company "Caspiy". PLC "Caspiy" has reached an agreement with a partner from Germany - the leading logistics company "Martrade Holding" on joint participation in the construction and operation of container terminals in the port area and the implementation of international logistics services. According to the forecast of Martrade Holding, by 2031 the cargo turnover of the port of Olya, taking into account the capacity of the port zone, will increase by 8 million tons per year.

The international seaport of Turkmenistan, located in a favorable location from a geo-economic point of view, is one of the largest in the Caspian Sea and has sufficient potential to become the "golden link" of international logistics, playing a key role in the import, export and transit of goods. Since commissioning in May 2018, the port has been focused on stimulating international cooperation in the transport and logistics sector, including new spaces and directions in its configuration. This large-scale infrastructure project serves as a "sea gate" not only to Turkmenistan, but also to the entire region of Central Asia, contributing to its active integration into the international system of economic relations and trade. Turkmenistan has repeatedly confirmed its readiness for substantive negotiations on all aspects of cooperation and the use of the Turkmenbashi International Port by landlocked countries of the region.

Recently, a number of efforts have been made to further improve the services provided by the Turkmenbashi International Seaport, modernize it, develop electronic document management and create favorable conditions for customers. At meetings with foreign institutions and companies, issues of the development of ferry services between the Caspian states, the provision of preferential fees for ship calls to ports by mutual agreement and the development of a single transit and transport platform for transit from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea are considered. The Turkmenbashi International Sea Port contributes to the formation of a multimodal transport system in the region, providing a wide range of opportunities not only for sea transportation, but also for operations of other types of transport.

Turkmenistan develops transport and logistics cooperation with the Astrakhan region