The trans-caspian corridor - reality and challenges

Abstract

This article highlights the growing significance of container transportation in the movement of cargo between Europe and China, and vice versa. Modern multimodal transport requires coordinated action among the countries forming the cargo transit chain, with the objective of ensuring cargo monitoring and security, while minimizing costs and transit time. Following the imposition of sanctions on Russia and Iran, the importance of the Trans-Caspian Corridor has increased substantially for cargo transportation between Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and China. The corridor begins at Georgian ports on the Black Sea, which are currently unable to handle existing cargo volumes due to insufficient capacity, including inadequate water depth. Therefore, the construction of a new port in Anaklia has become a necessity. This port is projected to surpass all existing ports in the Black Sea basin in terms of capacity, accommodating the largest container vessels and processing up to one million containers annually at reduced costs. The suspension of the Anaklia port project has been caused by the Georgian government's misalignment in international political positioning, which harms not only Georgia's economic interests but also those of other countries. Port infrastructure is directly linked to railways, highways, and other logistical capacities. The article discusses the current state and challenges of these infrastructures in Georgia and beyond. In order to ensure the resilience and enhancement of cargo throughput along the Trans-Caspian Corridor, not only European countries but also the United States, various Asian countries, and multiple international institutions have expressed their readiness to support the initiative. Provided that the Georgian government takes appropriate steps, the country may, in the near future, transform into a powerful regional logistics hub.