Some cargo from China will transit to the EU via Ukraine, according to Ukrzaliznytsia.

A portion of the cargo traveling through the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TCITR), which connects China to Europe, is planned to be routed through Ukraine.

This was announced by the director of commercial operations and logistics at JSC "Ukrzaliznytsia," Tymofiy Murakhovskyi, during a meeting of the Exporters' Office, reports Interfax-Ukraine.

According to Murakhovskyi, on February 17, the Supervisory Board of UZ approved the establishment of a new legal entity, UZ Cargo East, in Kazakhstan to operate along the middle corridor from China to Europe via Ukraine.

One option being considered is that the ferries "Heroes of Pleven" and "Heroes of Shipka" will transport container trains from the Caspian ports to Baku, and then from the Georgian port of Poti to Odesa. From there, the cargo will head to Europe.

Previously, the UZ management planned to transfer these vessels to the management of the State Property Fund.

"We will become operators not only of rail transport but also of maritime transport. The ultimate goal is to create a corridor that provides turnkey services from China to Europe for our clients," Murakhovskyi stated.

He added that this project will be discussed at the next meeting in Baku in two weeks, where representatives of UZ will also be present. According to Murakhovskyi, the project for the new Transnational Transport Multimodal Corridor has the support of the governments of China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

The director of commercial operations and logistics at UZ declined to specify the estimated timeline for the project's launch but noted that the ferries could transport at least two container trains per day, significantly increasing cargo turnover between China and Europe.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TCITR) passes through Europe, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, the Caspian Sea area, Kazakhstan, and China. In January 2024, the EU committed to invest 10 billion euros in the Trans-Caspian Corridor. TCITR serves as an alternative to the northern route through Russia.