Railway transport aimed to enable national railway networks to assume a greater and more active role in the multi-modal transport chain within TRACECA region

Asia Pacific Rail is one of Asia’s premier railway industry events, gathering over 500 leaders annually. Supported by MTR and attended by the movers and shakers of Asia’s rail sector, this conference offers first-hand insights into the strategies of the world’s top rail authorities and operators, both from within Asia and across the globe, organized by Terrapinn holdings Ltd. 

The Forum included discussion on such topics as exciting innovations in rail freight, mainlines, high-speed rail, metros and more.

In view of the main outlines of discussion the participants and organizers of AsiaPasificRail 2016 showed interest in the latest updates and developments within the region of the International Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia, network accessibility between Asia and Europe and opportunities for rail freight operators.

TRACECA cooperates with many profile organizations in the field of international transport, defining priorities and perspectives of cooperation on the issues of further sustainable development of transport communications in the region Europe-the Caucasus-Asia.

During his speech, Mr. Ciopraga, TRACECA Secretary General outlined that carrying out structural reforms aimed at enhancing the efficiency and financial viability of the railway regional systems due to separating infrastructure management from the commercial operations of transport services and ensuring non-discriminatory access to the infrastructure.

In order to promoting interoperability of the railway system it is important to develop efficient international rail services, first of all, due to simplification of border-crossing procedures, introduction of the “single window” technologies and other measures.

In addition, Mr. Ciopraga emphasized that it is significant to promote sound and planned infrastructure development through identifying construction of the missing links and new straightening lines in the railways network, as well as the objects allowing to ensure interoperability between different modes of transport in the TRACECA countries.

It was noted that build-up of containerization within the region of TRACECA corridor, development of new services in the field of traffic and logistics, aimed at the increase of the TRACECA corridor attractiveness are undoubtedly urgent issues of the Agenda. The first testing container block train "Nomad Express", moving along the international transport corridor TRACECA from China, arrived at Baku International Sea Trade Port on 3 August of the current year. Presently 3 trips of this train have been organized for the countries of the South Caucasus from China, and after commissioning of the railway section (Kars - Akhalkalaki), that is the connection of the Turkish and Georgian railway networks this container train will run regularly.

The implementation of the mentioned project started in April 2015. The commissioning of the ferry terminal is scheduled for the end of December 2016 – the beginning of 2017.

Within the plenary sessions of the Forum participants of the meeting exchanged views on competitive advantages against other rail and transport operators within Asia and Pacific regions, rail industry game changers and strategic differentiators, raising rail freight productivity and cost effectiveness changing attitudes towards intermodal freights, Delivering connected journeys with dynamic rail communications.