The “Silk Wind” project: creation of favourable conditions on the realization and further steps in development

In the context of prevailing development of container traffic in the region and real necessity for redirection of some container cargo flows to the TRACECA transport corridor, the «SILK WIND» project is aimed to create the favorable conditions for a container block train route with advanced electronic exchange of information, simplification of customs and border-crossing procedures, reduction of transit time and travel time.

In this regard, with support of the Permanent Secretariat TRACECA and EU technical assistance project «Logistic Processes and Motorways of the Sea II» (LOGMOS) the meetings were held between experts of transport authorities, customs, railway and port administrations on the issue of the project realization: April 17, 2012 in Baku (Azerbaijan); June 13, 2012 in Istanbul (Turkey); July 24-25, 2012 in Aktau (Kazakhstan).

Within the framework of the LOGMOS regional meeting on «Silk Wind» project and Ro-Ro transportation perspectives on the Caspian Sea July 24-25, 2012 in Aktau, Particular attention were paid to the issues on creation conditions, for increasing of land and sea traffic on TRACECA by enabling modern logistics services and processes along the corridor, meet the international standards.

Developed Draft «Memorandum of the principles of Joint Activity on Development of Transport Networks and Organization of Cargo Transportation» project will promote creation and forwarding of multimodal block-train route within «SILK WIND» project, and organization of favourable conditions by simplification of administrative procedures and elaboration of unified, normative and regulatory base in the field of transport.

Currently, on the outcomes of t the meetings within the project, it may be stated, that the participating parties supported the general concept of the project, recognized the growing economic role of the (Western) China in the trade with Europe, thus, the highlighted transit function of TRACECA, as well as of this project, and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway nearly completed project.