News

The Unified Transit Center, providing cargo documentation services within the territory of the Baku International Sea Port, which operates under ‘Azerbaijan Railways’ CJSC as part of AZCON Holding, has been opened. 

The new center will bring together the State Customs Committee, the State Border Service, the State Migration Service, Azerpost and forwarding companies under one roof. Until now these service points were located at various distances from each other; by consolidating them in a single center, cargo owners and carrier companies will be able to complete the documentation process more quickly and conveniently.

Having all parties involved in cargo documentation located in one center at the port will reduce the time required to clear wheeled vehicles (excluding railcars) from two hours to one hour. Likewise, the documentation of a block train will take four hours, the circulation of documents by forwarders will take two hours, and the time spent on payments will fall from one hour to just eight minutes.

The Unified Transit Center at Port of Baku is expected to enhance operational efficiency, positively impact the overall speed of cargo handling operations, and provide a more convenient documentation process. Its operations will contribute to faster execution of import procedures, increased volume of transit cargo passing through Azerbaijan, and the strengthening of the country’s logistics infrastructure, while also boosting the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor and reinforcing Azerbaijan's role as a key transit country.

Moreover, the center will generate a new synergy within Azerbaijan’s transit-logistics ecosystem. Improved speed and transparency in cargo transportation will encourage international carriers to prioritize routes passing through Azerbaijan, while also making the Middle Corridor a more attractive option for neighboring countries seeking efficient transit routes. These optimizations align with the national goal of transforming Azerbaijan into a global transport hub, while also playing a key role in the diversification of the non-oil sector, increasing investment appeal, and strengthening Azerbaijan’s image as a reliable international trade partner.

It should be noted that integrating Port of Baku into the Azerbaijan Railways system has allowed operations to become more agile and enabled a unified management mechanism for cargo transportation. As a result, nearly 70,000 TEU containers were handled at Port of Baku in the first eight months of 2025, which is 48 percent more than the same period last year (47,000 TEU). The Unified Transit Center will further optimize operations and lead to sustained growth in cargo throughput at Baku International Sea Port.