Tariffs on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) are likely to be further reduced due to ongoing negotiations with maritime operators on the Black Sea. Fees were already lowered on routes between Kazakhstan, Turkey and Poland. The aim is to lower the overall rate for transporting cargo between China and Europe using this corridor, said the International Association of TITR.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route runs from China to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine, crossing the Caspian and Black sea along the route. Applying competitive tariffs for cargo transportation on this corridor has been one of the main aims of participating parties since January last year. Recently, preferential rates along the route from Altynkol (Kazakhstan) to Slavkov (Poland) and from Altynkol to Istanbul were introduced. “All founders and members of the International Association TITR have done significant work in order to reduce the tariff rates on the route”, said a spokesperson.

Rolling stock pool

The association has also decided to create a united pool of rolling stock by transferring and combining the required number of container platforms and open-top wagons on the TITR route during a recently held meeting. “Preliminary estimation is to get hundred units from Kazakhstan’s national railway Temir Zholy, fifty units from Azerbaijan Railways, fifty units from Georgian railways and fifty units from Ukraine’s national railway Ukrzaliznytsia”, said the spokesperson.

In order to further popularise and promote the route on the transportation market of the Eurasian link, the association has redubbed TITR the Middle Corridor. The corridor is one of the New Silk Road routes, a network of corridors encouraged by the Chinese Belt and Road initiative.