On December 5, 2025, the Government of Romania approved for signature a quadripartite agreement between Romania, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan on the establishment and commissioning of the Black Sea–Caspian Sea international transport route.

This document, the culmination of years of negotiations, establishes a new strategic transport corridor designed to connect Central Asia with Central and Northern Europe, significantly enhancing the competitiveness of the transit potential of the participating countries.

The Black Sea–Caspian Sea International Transport Route (BS-CS) is a project initiated by Romania and Turkmenistan in 2012. Its key objective is to create a multimodal transport route (sea/river and road/rail) that serves as a direct link between the South Caucasus, Central Asia/Asia-Pacific, and the European market. The route leverages the capabilities of key ports: Constanta (Romania), Poti and Batumi (Georgia), Baku/Alat (Azerbaijan), and Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan). Furthermore, it utilizes the potential of a direct connection between the port of Constanta and the Danube River, opening access to European inland waterways.

The agreement regulates the general principles for organizing, implementing, and facilitating international freight transport, which may be carried out by any mode of transport, including multimodal, bilaterally, in transit, or to/from a third country.

The main objectives of the document are:

Creating a modern transport system and transnational corridors between Europe and Asia through the construction of networks of roads, railways, and sea routes.

Strengthening economic relations and developing trade between the contracting parties.

Optimizing the movement of goods and increasing the attractiveness and competitiveness of the route, including through direct economic cooperation between transport companies.

Harmonizing and simplifying administrative procedures at borders and ports. This is achieved through the use of advanced technologies, electronic documents, and intelligent electronic transport systems (ITS), as well as through the application of international conventions such as the 1975 TIR Convention and the Revised Kyoto Convention.

Ensuring the safety of transport, the security of cargo and vehicles, and the protection of the environment from pollution, with mandatory compliance with technical specifications for environmental protection.

The agreement establishes clear governance mechanisms for its successful implementation.

To ensure the effective operation of the route, a Steering Committee consisting of high-ranking officials is being established. The Committee's chairmanship will rotate annually, beginning with Turkmenistan, followed by Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Romania. The current chairman will coordinate all activities and oversee the implementation of adopted decisions, while a task force of experts will be established to monitor and prepare proposals.

The agreement will be signed by the transport ministers (or foreign ministers) of the participating states and submitted to their national parliaments for ratification.

The Government of Romania (represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) will act as the Depositary of this Agreement. It will enter into force on the thirtieth day following the date of receipt by the Depositary of the last written notification of completion of all contracting parties' domestic procedures. The Agreement is concluded for an indefinite period and is open to accession by other governments upon agreement of the parties.

Thus, the Agreement, which is being prepared for signature, advances the official launch of one of the most important transport corridors connecting two strategic regions—the Caspian and Black Seas—and significantly strengthening Turkmenistan's transit potential.

We previously reported that Georgian Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili announced that the Agreement on the creation of a new international transport route between four countries: Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Romania, would be signed in December of this year.

ORIENT