Azerbaijan Railways Chairman Leads Delegation to China to Expand Transport and Logistics Cooperation
Baku, The Gulf Observer: Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY), Rovshan Rustamov, is leading a high-level delegation to the People’s Republic of China to explore new avenues for strategic cooperation with major Chinese transport and logistics companies, as part of Azerbaijan’s ongoing efforts to enhance its role in international freight corridors.
As part of the working visit, a series of meetings were held on July 7 with top Chinese industry leaders. During discussions with Fang Feng, Vice President of China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), and Wang Qiaolin, Chairman of CRRC’s Zhuzhou locomotive manufacturing company, Rustamov underlined the critical need to modernize and expand ADY’s locomotive fleet to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable freight transportation.
He emphasized the growing strategic role of Azerbaijan in the international logistics chain, and the importance of further strengthening cooperation with CRRC. The talks also included follow-up discussions on an agreement signed in April 2025 for the procurement of seven new locomotives from China, along with plans to implement joint training programs and technical workshops for ADY specialists. Both sides exchanged views on innovative technical solutions, production capabilities, and experience-sharing mechanisms.
In a separate meeting with Wang Gui Chao, head of Lianyungang Port, the two sides reaffirmed the importance of deepening cooperation to enhance East–West connectivity via the Middle Corridor. The officials noted a substantial increase in freight traffic between China and Azerbaijan, with 287 block trains arriving from China in 2024 and 199 block trains already recorded in the first half of 2025. This figure is expected to exceed 400 by year-end. As such, the establishment of a regular rail service along the Lianyungang–Baku route was identified as a top priority.
Representatives of Azerbaijan Railways also highlighted the recent integration of the Baku International Sea Port into ADY’s structure, which is expected to enhance the coordination of port and railway operations and improve overall logistical efficiency. The port currently has a cargo handling capacity of 15 million tons annually, including 150,000 TEU containers, with future plans to increase capacity to 25 million tons and 500,000 TEUs.
In turn, Wang Gui Chao emphasized the port’s strategic role in handling goods from not only China, but also Japan and South Korea. He expressed strong confidence that continued cooperation with ADY would strengthen the competitiveness of the Lianyungang–Baku route in the Eurasian logistics space.
During a meeting with Yan Bin, President of China Railway Container Transport Corp. Ltd. (CRCT), Chairman Rustamov proposed that CRCT join the “Middle Corridor Multimodal Ltd.” joint venture, co-established by the railway administrations of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia, to support the development of the Middle Corridor.
It was noted that CRCT’s participation would enhance multimodal logistics integration, increase freight traffic efficiency, and bolster the strategic relevance of the corridor within the region. Discussions also addressed the implementation of digital logistics solutions, optimization of container transportation between China and Azerbaijan, an action plan for increased shipments in H2 2025, and the further integration of port and rail infrastructure.
The ADY delegation’s visit to China is scheduled to conclude on July 11, 2025.
