Uzbekistan is interested in gaining access to the warehouse infrastructure in the Baku port, the Deputy Minister of Transport Abdusamat Muminov said in an interview with the Azerbaijani edition of Report.

According to him, in 2022, the volume of cargo transportation from Uzbekistan through the Baku port amounted to 904,000 tons, which is 65% higher than in 2021. Food cargoes, including raw sugar, mineral fertilizers and containers, contributed to the increase in cargo transportation.

“Our importers are interested in cooperation with the Baku port and aim to either rent a mineral fertilizer terminal on a long-term basis or invest in its creation,” Muminov stated.

He clarified that work is underway on the preparation of a feasibility study on this issue.

In turn, the director of the Center for the Study of Transport and Logistics Development under the Ministry of Transport, Bekzod Kholmatov, noted Uzbekistan's interest in having its own ships in the Caspian Sea to increase traffic along the Trans-Caspian route.

“Uzbekistan is also interested in participating in shipbuilding projects together with Azerbaijan. Tashkent is ready to cooperate with other countries in this matter,” Kholmatov said.

In June, Deputy Transport Minister Abdusamat Muminova shared plans to increase imports of sugar and other goods through the seaport in Baku. This year, Uzbekistan plans to use its infrastructure to import sugar, which will reach 300,000 tons. For this purpose, 100 wagons were sent to Azerbaijan to ship sugar.

In July, Azerbaijan offered Uzbekistan to lease the infrastructure of the Baku Sea Port on preferential terms for a long-term lease. The parties also agreed to eliminate bottlenecks in their territories along the Middle Corridor. This year, the volume of transportation of export-import cargoes of Uzbekistan through the territory of Azerbaijan will be increased to 1.5 million tons.