CASCA+ Nations Agree to Accelerate Container Trains and Implement Unified Tariffs
The railway authorities of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey have reached new agreements regarding the development of the CASCA+ international multimodal route (connecting Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Turkey). A six-party protocol, signed following a meeting of agency representatives in Tashkent, aims to significantly boost the competitiveness of this transit corridor between Asia and Europe.
A key focus of this joint effort will be the optimization of logistics chains and the reduction of end-to-end cargo delivery times. Specifically, the parties agreed on measures to eliminate bottlenecks at intermodal transfer points, minimize container dwell times at Caspian and Black Sea ports, and ensure the uninterrupted availability of container flatcars along the entire route.
Particular attention has been paid to establishing preferential and flexible tariff structures, especially for the transport of agro-industrial products and perishable goods in refrigerated containers. This approach is expected to attract new cargo volumes and reinforce the status of CASCA+ as one of Eurasia’s most reliable and rapid overland bridges.
For Turkmenistan, participation in the CASCA+ project is a crucial element in realizing its transit potential; the port infrastructure of Turkmenbashi and the country’s extensive railway network form a natural logistics hub connecting Central Asian states with the Caucasus region, Turkey, and European markets.
