Baku's Logistics Hub Handles 2.4M TEU in Record Year

The Baku International Sea Trade Port processed 2.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in the first nine months of 2025, exceeding annual targets and establishing Azerbaijan as a premier logistics gateway.

Container throughput increased 58% year-over-year, driven by expanded rail connections to Central Asia, upgraded port infrastructure, and growing demand for alternative trade routes bypassing traditional corridors.

The Middle Corridor initiative, connecting China to European markets via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, processed 1.8 million tons of cargo through Baku's port facilities.

Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) reports that transit cargo volumes surged 73%, with electronics, automotive parts, and consumer goods representing primary freight categories. New direct container services to Italian and Romanian ports commenced in August 2025.

Port operators invested $340 million in terminal automation, expanding capacity to 3.5 million TEU annually by 2026. Digital customs clearance systems reduced processing times from 4 days to 18 hours.

International shipping lines including Maersk, MSC, and CMA CGM expanded Caspian Sea operations, adding weekly services connecting Baku with Aktau, Turkmenbashi, and Anzali ports.