Ukraine launched an experimental freight train in China on the Trans-Caspian international transport routes bypassing Russia on January 15th. This was announced by Minister of Infrastructure Andrey Pivovarsky during the grand departure of the train in Iliychevsk – reports UNIAN.
The route runs through Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
"Now we are realizing that we have talked about for many years. This is an experimental ferry with a train on the route Ukraine - Georgia - Azerbaijan - Kazakhstan - China, we will work out the entire logistic chain,"- said Pivovarsky, stressing that all the formalities between the member countries of the experiment were settled on January 14th.
In particular, it is about issue on establishing competitive reduced tariffs for freight transportation on this route.
"When it is done (working out all technical nuances – ed.) in two or three weeks we will be able, if all goes well, go to the normal operating mode of the new alternative route for goods from Europe to China, from Ukraine to China and other Asian countries. Thus, we are opening a new way not just from Europe to China, we are opening a new way for Ukrainian goods onto those markets where we have always been very strong - Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, and the markets, access to which was limited for some time due to the fact that the Russian Federation has introduced restrictions on the transit of Ukrainian goods to other countries,"- said Pivovarsky.
In his turn, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine Gennady Zubko, who was present at the ceremonial launch of the train on the above mentioned route, said that now Ukraine exported about 24 million tons of freight to China annually.
"Now Ukraine exports nearly 24 million tonnes to China per year, last year was a record year in terms of exports to China – it took the first place according to the volume of shipments from Ukraine. The question is that today it is necessary to ensure the normal and stable delivery of our products to Asia", - he concluded.