What transport projects has Turkmenistan proposed to European investors in Brussels
The session "Gates of Turkmenistan: Exploring the possibilities of a Transit hub" was held today, January 30, at the Global Gateway Investor Forum in Brussels. It considered investment opportunities in the transport complex of Turkmenistan and the transit potential of the country as a key hub between Europe and Asia.
The dialogue was attended by representatives of the public and private sectors, including representatives of the Turkmen Railways, the Turkmen Sea and River Transport, the Transport and Logistics Center of Turkmenistan, as well as EU institutions and international companies such as Royal IHC, Cargolux.
Key projects were presented, including the development of the Caspian Sea hub, the optimization of rail transportation and the introduction of digital technologies to improve the efficiency of transit operations.
In particular, the time for container trains to cross the territory of Turkmenistan has been reduced to three days today, said Bekmyrat Ishangulyev, Deputy Chairman of the Turkmen Railways Agency. Special tariff rates agreed with partners are also being introduced, and from January 1, 2024, discounts of 50% are provided for transit transportation through the Akyayla station (for all cargoes except aluminum and alumina) and transshipment from/to sea transport to/from rail transport at the station in the port of Turkmenbashi.
European investors have been offered projects to modernize the railway infrastructure to increase its capacity, upgrade rolling stock, introduce modern systems for automating train control and create joint logistics centers.
In the field of motor transport, such areas for investment as automated bus traffic management in urban and intercity passenger traffic, a digital system for monitoring the activities of national road carriers, the creation of an information and telecommunications platform providing opportunities for state regulation and control in the field of motor transport and the market of motor transport services, as well as the creation of joint ventures for the collection of motor vehicles are called relevant facilities and maintenance.
Investment projects in the field of shipbuilding are being actively implemented in the maritime transport industry of Turkmenistan. Seyitguly Bayseidov, Deputy Chairman of the Turkmen Maritime and River Transport Agency, identified several key projects: an oil collector vessel for the prompt elimination of oil spills during loading and unloading, receiving oily water from transit vessels; a supply vessel for servicing offshore oil and gas production platforms; an oil tanker, as the demand for the transportation of Turkmen oil and petroleum products is growing, and a passenger vessel, which is also designed to meet the demand for transportation in the expanding system of oil and gas facilities at sea.
Bayseidov invited European companies to visit Turkmenistan to explore opportunities for cooperation on the spot and expressed readiness to consider proposals for partial or full financing of investment projects.
Merdan Bashimov, General Director of JSC Transport and Logistics Center of Turkmenistan, proposed a joint feeder service between the ports of the Black Sea for efficient cargo flow from the Asian region to Europe. He also drew the attention of potential partners to the modernization projects of one of the main railway terminals of Turkmenistan - Etrek and Serakhs station, which is a link in the field of container transportation.
The largest logistics hub of the entire Central Asian region may be the cargo terminal of Ashgabat Airport, the development of which opens up another direction for European investments.
In addition, European air carriers were called upon to explore the possibility of making technical and commercial landings at international airports in Turkmenistan, where a full range of refueling and maintenance services for various types of aircraft is provided.
It was noted that against the background of the unstable situation in the world, Turkmenistan, as a guarantor of security in all transport directions, assures the reliability of cooperation with all interested parties in the field of safe transportation and is ready to play a key role in the development of transit communications between Europe and Asia.
Today's session demonstrated great interest on the part of international companies in investing in the transport complex of Turkmenistan.
The Global Gateway Investor Forum was held in Brussels on January 29-30, bringing together governments, financial institutions, businesses in Europe, Central Asia, as well as the countries of the Caucasus and Turkey, the "Big Seven". Its main theme was the transformation of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor into a modern, multimodal and efficient route connecting Europe and Central Asia in no more than 15 days.
On the sidelines of the forum, members of the Turkmen delegation also held a number of bilateral meetings, including with EU Commissioner for Transport Adina Valean, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank Teresa Chervinskaya, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Bakyt Torobayev.
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