BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. Representatives
of the European Secure Parking Organisation (ESPORG) and the Union
of Road Transport Associations of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation Region (BSEC-URTA) held discussions on the development
of secure truck parking facilities along the Middle Corridor,
Trend reports,
citing BSEC-URTA.


The meeting brought together ESPORG Chief Executive Officer Dirk
Penasse and Executive Secretary Roxana Ilie with BSEC-URTA
Secretary General Mehmet Uylukcu and Deputy Secretary General
Alpdogan Kahraman.


The sides discussed the growing need for safe, reliable, and
well-equipped parking areas for freight vehicles, describing such
facilities as critical infrastructure for key actors in foreign
trade and international road transport, particularly professional
drivers.


During the meeting, special attention was given to a range of
issues of mutual interest to BSEC-URTA and ESPORG. These included
the central role of truck parking facilities in international road
transport, their positive impact on alleviating the shortage of
drivers, and the importance of designing parking areas that take
gender-specific needs into account.


“One of the key outcomes of the meeting was a shared view that
the mission of ESPORG should extend beyond Europe and reach the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation region, particularly along the
Middle Corridor route, which is playing an increasingly strategic
role in trade relations between the European Union (EU) and the
countries of Central Asia. In this context, it was emphasized that
the establishment of safe and certified truck parking facilities
along these transport corridors is not an option but a necessity,”
the information states.







The delegations agreed to strengthen institutional cooperation
and invited each other to participate in upcoming events scheduled
for March and May, with the aim of further developing collaboration
in areas where their mandates overlap.


The Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian
International Transport Route (TITR), is a transport and trade
route connecting Asia with Europe and serving as an alternative to
the traditional Northern and Southern corridors. The route begins
in China, passes through Central Asian countries such as
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, crosses the Caspian Sea
via Azerbaijan, and continues through Georgia and Türkiye before
reaching Europe. This overland route allows cargo to bypass longer
maritime routes and provides a direct connection between East Asia,
including China, and Europe.


ESPORG (European Secure Parking Organisation) is the primary
European body promoting safe, secure, and connected truck parking
areas, working with authorities and industry for driver/cargo
safety and EU standards, while BSEC-URTA (Union of Road Transport
Associations of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Region) is an
association fostering road transport cooperation in the Black Sea
region, focusing on mobility, logistics, and connecting societies
through better infrastructure, often collaborating with ESPORG on
secure parking initiatives for regional trade.


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