CASCA+ Transport Corridor Ministers’ Meeting Held in Tashkent

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 12 November, Tashkent hosted a meeting of transport ministers from countries participating in the CASCA+ corridor.

The event was attended by Ilkhom Makhkamov, Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan; Akylbek Syrgabayev, Minister of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan; Javid Gurbanov, Deputy Minister of Digitalization and Transport of Azerbaijan; Ufuk Durmus, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Türkiye; and Babamurad Sariyev, Deputy General Director of Demirýollary of Turkmenistan.

Opening the meeting, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov emphasized that trade between China and the European Union is currently one of the key directions in global logistics. In light of changing geopolitical circumstances, the Central corridor is becoming an increasingly sought-after alternative route compared to traditional pathways.

He noted that six years have passed since the launch of the CASCA+ route. During this period, a Coordinating Council for the corridor’s development was established, tariff benefits of up to 70 percent for freight transportation were introduced, and favorable conditions were created to expand transport flows. By the end of 2024, the volume of Uzbekistan’s export-import shipments along the CASCA+ route reached 1 million tons, five times higher than in 2019.

Statistics indicate similar growth in container block trains: from 25 trains in 2019 to more than 83 in 2024 — over a threefold increase.

The minister also reported that in April of this year, construction began on the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway. Upon completion within the next five years, the potential annual cargo turnover along this route is expected to reach approximately 15 million tons.

During the meeting, it was noted that the project’s implementation will place additional demands on the CASCA+ corridor infrastructure, as its current capacity may be insufficient for the increased transportation volumes.

Another challenge highlighted was the situation on the Caspian Sea, where lower water levels force vessels to load only 65 percent of capacity, and waiting times in ports can reach up to 30 days.

Participants identified contributing factors, including a shortage of ferries, limited capacity on certain railway sections and ports, and other organizational issues.

To address these challenges, it was proposed to establish a working group at the level of deputy transport ministers and develop a long-term program integrating the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway project with the Central corridor. The program’s goal will be to ensure sustainable and uninterrupted East–West transport connectivity.

CASCA+ is an international multimodal transport corridor established with the participation of the railway administrations of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye. It was formally launched in December 2019 in Tashkent through the signing of a protocol by five countries, with Türkiye joining the project in December 2021.