Middle Corridor Expands Beyond Traditional Markets

15 hours ago

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Eurasian freight networks are opening new routes across air, road and multimodal corridors. A new Jiaxing-Luxembourg B777F service strengthens China-Europe air cargo capacity, while the TIR network now connects China with European markets through more than 120 road freight routes. Across Central Asia, Kazakhstan is extending the Middle Corridor toward India and Europe through active multimodal shipments and a new Caspian container partnership. Uzbekistan is also widening its freight options through additional border capacity with Kazakhstan and potential Black Sea diesel transit via Georgia.

In this edition, we explore how new China-Europe connections, expanding Middle Corridor flows and additional border and maritime options are diversifying freight movement across Eurasia.

China Postal Airlines Opens Jiaxing-Luxembourg B777F Route

China Postal Airlines launched a new direct all-cargo service between Jiaxing, China and Luxembourg on 21 September, creating another dedicated air freight link between the Yangtze River Delta and Europe.

The route operates twice weekly using a Boeing 777 freighter with maximum payload capacity of around 84 tonnes.
The inaugural flight carried consumer goods, cross-border e-commerce cargo and household products from the Yangtze River Delta.
Outbound traffic will primarily originate from Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui and Shanghai.
Return flights are expected to carry European manufacturing equipment and precision electronic components into China.
Direct flying time between Jiaxing and Luxembourg is approximately 12 hours.

China-Europe TIR Network Reaches 3,700 Trucks Across 120 Routes

International road freight from China into Central and Eastern Europe now involves more than 3,700 TIR-registered trucks operating across over 120 routes, highlighting the growing role of trucking alongside rail and maritime alternatives.

The network crosses more than 60 borders through Central Asia, the Caucasus and Türkiye.
China expanded the TIR system earlier this year to cover e-commerce and bonded cargo.
Bonded TIR shipments between China and Azerbaijan can now be completed in around 15 days.
China has also introduced priority green lanes for TIR vehicles at key border crossings.
Eleven logistics sites across China now provide combined facilitation services for international road operators.

KTZ Express Sends Kazakh Lentils to India via Middle Corridor

KTZ Express has completed a multimodal shipment of Kazakh lentils from Akkol to Mundra, India, using the Trans-Caspian route to connect Central Asia with South Asia.

The cargo departed Akkol station in Kazakhstan by rail and moved west to Aktau Port.
Containers then crossed the Caspian Sea to Alat, Azerbaijan, before continuing by rail to Poti, Georgia.
From Poti, the shipment moved by sea to Mundra Port in India.
The route combines rail, Caspian shipping and ocean freight, demonstrating an active export corridor beyond the traditional China-Europe flow.
The shipment also highlights the Middle Corridor’s role in connecting Kazakh agricultural exporters with new markets in South Asia.

Kazakhstan and MEDLOG Launch New Caspian Container Partnership

Kazakhstan’s SEMURG INVEST and MEDLOG Poti, part of MSC Group, signed an agreement on 29 September to create an equal partnership in Sarzha Logistics, strengthening container connectivity between Central Asia and Europe.

The partnership will focus on developing container flows across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Cargo will connect through Kazakhstan and the Caspian Sea, continuing via Georgia toward Türkiye and European markets.
The venture is intended to improve the integration of rail, port and sea freight operations across the Trans-Caspian route.
The agreement adds another commercial platform supporting Central Asia-Europe container traffic through the Middle Corridor.

Gishtkuprik Border Crossing Prepares to Restore Truck Traffic

The Gishtkuprik customs post on the Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan border is expected to reopen for freight traffic in in the fourth quarter of 2026 following reconstruction, restoring an additional road freight option between the two countries.

Freight trucks will again be permitted to use the crossing after reconstruction is completed.
The Navoi border post is also expected to provide an additional route for freight traffic.
More than 9,200 trucks passed through the Sirdarya crossing in September, equivalent to roughly one truck every four minutes.
Authorities also plan to move the Malik-Sirdarya and Ok Oltin-Tselinny crossings to 24-hour operations and give them international status.
The additional capacity is expected to ease pressure on Yallama and Sirdarya, currently among the busiest freight crossings.

SOCAR Considers Uzbek Diesel Transit via Kulevi

SOCAR is considering routing diesel produced in Uzbekistan through its Kulevi terminal in Georgia, while Uzbek naphtha is already being shipped by SOCAR Trading to Black Sea ports.

SOCAR Trading is already transporting Uzbek naphtha to Black Sea ports, confirming that petroleum-product transit cooperation is operational.
The next product under consideration is Uzbek-produced diesel fuel.
If the parties reach a commercial agreement, the diesel would be exported through SOCAR’s Kulevi terminal on Georgia’s Black Sea coast.
The Kulevi terminal already has infrastructure for handling multiple liquid petroleum products, including ultra-low-sulphur diesel.