On January 15, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine in cooperation with PJSC Ukrzaliznytsia launched the first demonstration run of container train, which will follow the route Ukraine-Georgia-Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan-China (via the Caspian Sea and Black Sea), which is so-called Southern Silk Road.
The Minister of Infrastructure, Andriy Pyvovarsky stressed that the train route is one of the best alternatives for delivery of goods between China and Asian countries on the one hand, and Europe on the other hand.
Also, the Minister added that the route will be quite commercially viable by delivery times, one-way train traffic will take 10-12 days, and by price, compared with other train routes through the territory of the Russian Federation. According to A.Pyvovarsky, the train will go to China without examination and on single rate basis.
The current train took 20 containers (some part with metal billet, but some - empty). The train will unload metal billet in Georgia, then some part of empty rail containers will go to China for loading and returning. The track time will total 11.5 days, but there are real prospects for lowering it to 9 days, he informed.
The reporting train will give Ukraine the opportunity to participate in the project of the Great Silk Road, realized by China, said the Vice-Prime Minister, Gennady Zubko.
As of January 25, the train reached the territory of Kazakhstan, passing Georgia and Azerbaijan, and moves towards the direction of China.
As a reminder, the topic on logistics development between Ukraine and the Caspian region countries will be one of the most important within frames of the Caspian and Black Sea Agrarian Congress, to be held in Baku on April 12-13, 2016.
