For the first time in the history of Azerbaijan-China trade relations, export cargo was dispatched from Baku to China via railway on November 24. This milestone marks a new phase in the economic and transport ties between the two countries and demonstrates Azerbaijan’s increasingly strategic role in international freight transportation. In addition to facilitating transit and import shipments from China to Azerbaijan via the Middle Corridor international transport route, the delivery of export goods from Azerbaijan to China further enhances the efficiency of this corridor. The rapid development of the Middle Corridor continues to drive growth in freight transportation volumes in both East-West and West-East directions.

The ceremony marking the departure of the first export train was attended by high-ranking representatives of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan Railways, the leadership of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route Secretariat, as well as senior officials from the Xi'an Chanba International Port Management Committee of China.

The "Baku-Xi'an" first export block train consists of 62 forty-foot containers. The cargo will be delivered multimodally via Kazakhstan to Xi'an Port, one of China's largest inland ports. Within the framework of the project, a total of 15,000 tons of export cargo, equivalent to 600 containers, is planned to be sent to China via this route by the end of this year.

Speaking at the event, Arif Agayev, Vice Chairman of "Azerbaijan Railways" CJSC (ADY), highlighted the significance of this historic occasion:
"This initiative not only elevates Azerbaijan’s export potential to a new level but also strengthens our country’s strategic position in the global trade system. Today’s event is highly significant in terms of cargo transportation in both directions along the West-East route. Now, local entrepreneurs can send their goods directly to China via the Middle Corridor. As ADY, we are working on several important projects aimed at transforming our country into an international transportation and logistics hub."

Ziya Agayev, Chairman of the Board of the Apsheron Logistics Center, also emphasized that this event would bolster Azerbaijan’s status as a transit country and create opportunities for local producers to access new markets:
"For the first time today, we are carrying out the export of Azerbaijan-origin goods via the Middle Corridor in block containers. This project will contribute to the development of the local economy and attract more interest from foreign investors. Azerbaijan’s integration into the global trade network is advancing rapidly."

It should be noted that the regular dispatch of export cargo to China opens new opportunities for increasing the freight handling volumes and revenues of ADY, the Apsheron Logistics Center, the Baku International Sea Trade Port, and "Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company" CJSC. This collaboration is a clear example of public-private partnership, showcasing the efficient and coordinated efforts of the main operators on the Azerbaijani segment of the Middle Corridor.

Previously, these export goods were delivered to global markets via Georgian Black Sea ports. However, in parallel with these operations, ADY, the Apsheron Logistics Center, the Baku International Sea Trade Port, and "Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company" CJSC are now creating new logistics solutions by utilizing Azerbaijan’s ports and capabilities to handle the process directly.

It is worth mentioning that since the beginning of 2024, 280 container block trains have been dispatched from China to Azerbaijan. By the end of this year, over 300 container block trains are expected to arrive in Azerbaijan via this route. Plans for 2025 include tripling the number of block trains to 1,000.