Asian Development Bank approves $47 million loan for Azerbaijan Railways

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently approved a 47 million dollars (42.8 million euros) loan to Azerbaijan Railways (ADY). The funds will be deployed to support the digitalisation projects of the local railway system.

ADB’s financial assistance will primarily focus on modernising key operations within ADY, including cargo operations upgrade, asset management, maintenance and repair processes, and investment planning. The digitalisation project also spans measures to significantly enhance client access to essential information, including shipment pricing, tax calculations and other essential data.

Furthermore, the project will also bolster corporate functions like budgeting and contract management, thereby improving the overall client experience. Within this framework, ADY has developed multiple projects to design systems for effective cargo-commercial operations, movement control, maintenance management, and cybersecurity.

INSTC and Middle Corridor at the centre

Over the last two years, ADY has been actively implementing measures to optimise and accelerate cargo operations, establish a centralised control management system with neighbouring countries, modernise old infrastructure, and establish an eco-friendly railway grid. The company aims to throw more weight behind efforts for strengthening multimodal connectivity along international transit routes, namely the International North-South Transportation Route and Middle Corridor, respectively linking India with Europe, and China with Europe.

Several projects ready for launch

Considering Azerbaijan’s strategic locations at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, rapid digitalisation of the railway system is critical to enhancing operational efficiency, improving competitiveness, and fully leveraging the country’s role in regional transit corridors. According to ADY’s Chairman, Rovshan Rustamov, the company is gearing up to launch several key projects. These include the Locomotive Crew Management System, the Freight Commercial Operations Management System, and the Freight Transportation Management System. These projects underscore ADY’s commitment to digital transformation and its readiness to embrace the future of railway operations.