"Baku - Tbilisi - Kars (BTK) railway is more profitable to transport such cargo than by traditional sea transport," the President of the Professional Railway Club, Davit Gochava, an expert on railway issues, said while talking about the potential and economic possibilities and accusing the government of inertia. He said the fact that BTK still operates in test mode and is not open for commercial shipping reduces its real utility, and the country loses revenue.
"I do not know what benefits these shipments bring to us because, as you know, the Baku - Tbilisi - Kars railway is still operating in test mode - it is not open for commercial shipments. The fact is that Russia and Turkey are benefiting. The establishment of an international railway company on this railway is delayed, which is provided for in the agreement. Neither the Georgian Railway nor the Marabda-Kartsakhi Railway Ltd. disseminates information about the shipping line and the current situation," Gochava says to report.ge and adds that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway corridor is the shortest and cheapest route, which saves time and money for cargo owners.
"Until now, shipowners had to wait for the ship to load at the port of Novorossiysk in order for the cargo to be shipped to Turkey, while cargo handling operations were carried out at the port. This was associated with additional costs. In addition, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway reduces shipping times by half. Cargo owners plan to transport such cargo to Turkey via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway regularly," the expert told report.ge.
