BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 26. In the period from
January through July of this year, Azerbaijan's air transport
sector carried 74,000 metric tons of cargo worth $4.920
billion.


This was announced in a report published by the State Customs
Committee.


According to the report, this figure exceeds the corresponding
period of 2025 by $32.6 million, or 0.7%, in value, and by 65,000
metric tons, or 8.2 times, in volume.


Over the reporting period, Azerbaijan exported nearly 66,500
metric tons of cargo by air, valued at $3.833 billion. Compared to
the same period of the previous year, this represents an increase
of $3.6 billion, or 17.3 times, in value, and 64,900 metric tons,
or 42.5 times, in volume.


In the first seven months of this year, Azerbaijan imported
7,500 metric tons of cargo by air, worth $1.087 billion. Compared
to the same period in 2025, this figure decreased by $3.6 billion,
or 4.3 times, in value, while in volume it increased by 84 metric
tons, or 1.1%.


Meanwhile, in the period from January through July 2026,
Azerbaijan transported a total of 31.811 million metric tons of
cargo via all modes of transport, valued at $29.217 billion.
Compared to the same period of the previous year, this represents
an increase of $374.5 million, or 1.3%, in value, and a decrease of
2.6 million metric tons, or 7.5%, in volume.


Overall, in recent years, Azerbaijan has continued to implement
major infrastructure projects aimed at transforming the country
into one of Eurasia’s key transit and logistics hubs. The country
has invested billions of dollars in rail and road infrastructure,
seaports, and logistics facilities to increase freight traffic
along the East–West, North–South, and Middle Corridor routes. The
main goal of this policy is to further strengthen Azerbaijan’s
position as a reliable transit hub between Europe and Asia.


In particular, the development of the Middle Corridor is one of
the top priorities of state policy. The Baku International Sea
Trade Port, the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, the Alat Free Economic
Zone, and new logistics centers are significantly enhancing the
competitiveness of this route. Work is currently underway to expand
the Baku port, increasing its throughput capacity from 15 million
to 25 million metric tons and its container handling capacity from
500,000 to 1 million TEU.


In an exclusive interview with Trend, Umberto de Pretto, Secretary General of the
International Road Transport Union (IRU), stated that thanks to
investments in transportation and logistics infrastructure made in
recent years, Azerbaijan has become one of the key players in the
Middle Corridor.


"Azerbaijan’s investments in transportation infrastructure are
now paying off. The country continues to strengthen its position as
a reliable transit gateway between Europe and Asia and plays a
leading role in the development of the Middle Corridor," he
emphasized.


Asset Assavbayev, Secretary General of the TRACECA
Intergovernmental Commission, noted in an exclusive interview with
Trend that the
transportation projects being implemented by Azerbaijan are
reshaping the region’s logistics landscape.







"The modern transportation infrastructure and port capabilities
developed by Azerbaijan significantly enhance the competitiveness
of the TRACECA route. The increase in cargo traffic along the
Middle Corridor demonstrates the effectiveness of these
investments," he said.


Azerbaijan’s transit potential is expected to continue growing
in the coming years amid rising cargo traffic along the
China-Central Asia-Caspian-Caucasus-Europe route. This is of great
importance in terms of increasing the country’s non-oil revenues,
expanding logistics services, and strengthening Azerbaijan’s
strategic role on international trade routes.


Particular emphasis is placed on the fact that the opening of
the Zangezur Corridor will further expand Azerbaijan’s transit
capabilities. Thus, this route can enhance the efficiency of the
Middle Corridor by connecting the East-West and North-South
international transport corridors, shorten freight routes, and
further strengthen Azerbaijan’s position as a regional logistics
hub. In short, the corridor’s commissioning will make a significant
contribution to strengthening transport links between Turkic
countries and increasing freight flows between Europe and Asia.


According to information from the Ministry of Digital
Development and Transport, the volume of freight traffic along the
Middle Corridor is expected to increase further in the coming
years.

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According to the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, the
volume of freight traffic along the Middle Corridor is expected to
increase further in the coming years. To this end, work is underway
to increase capacity, promote digitalization, and streamline border
procedures along the corridor.


In an exclusive interview with Trend, Taleh Ziyadov, CEO of the Baku International
Sea Trade Port, stated that the port’s current annual capacity is
15 million metric tons and 150,000 TEU containers, and that upon
completion of the second phase of development, these figures will
increase to 25 million metric tons and 500,000 TEU,
respectively.


"We are developing the Port of Baku not only as a cargo
reception point but also as an integrated logistics and industrial
hub between Europe and Asia. Our goal is to enhance the
competitiveness of the Middle Corridor and expand Azerbaijan’s
transit capabilities," Ziyadov told Trend.


He noted that the implementation of digital solutions at the
Port of Baku, the acceleration of cargo handling, and the
development of multimodal transport are helping to reduce transit
times and improve transportation efficiency. In an interview with
Trend, Valeh
Alasgarov, chairman of the board of directors of the Alat Free
Economic Zone (FEZ), emphasized that the zone is being developed as
one of the main production and logistics platforms of the Middle
Corridor.


"The Alat Free Economic Zone offers investors one of the most
competitive business environments in the region. Our goal is to
transform Azerbaijan into a regional hub for manufacturing,
logistics, and export-oriented industries. Companies operating here
will gain access to markets with hundreds of millions of consumers
through both the Middle Corridor and other international transport
routes," Alasgarov told Trend.


According to him, the projects being implemented in the free
zone will contribute not only to transit transportation but also to
the development of high-tech manufacturing, as well as to further
strengthening Azerbaijan’s role in international supply chains.


Thus, the published statistics on the volume of cargo
transportation along transport corridors are of particular
significance in light of the results of a long-term strategy aimed
at strengthening Azerbaijan’s position as a logistics and transit
hub. The expansion of the Baku port, the development of the Alat
Free Economic Zone, and the deepening of international cooperation
along the Middle Corridor will create conditions for a further
increase in the country’s transit revenues and its share in
regional logistics in the coming years.