{"id":303074,"date":"2025-10-17T17:30:28","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T07:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=66691"},"modified":"2025-10-17T17:30:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T07:30:28","slug":"for-uzbekistan-the-middle-corridor-is-more-than-just-a-transit-route","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=303074","title":{"rendered":"For Uzbekistan, the Middle Corridor is more than just a transit route"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Middle Corridor: Europeans tend to look at it with skepticism, whereas the Chinese celebrate each newly launched train. In between them are the Central Asian countries, such as Uzbekistan. National Uzbek rail freight forwarder O\u02bbztemiryo\u02bblkonteyner (UTK) sheds some light on the country’s positioning in international trade and which role the company plays in that strategy.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>From a European perspective, the Middle Corridor primarily serves one goal: to secure Chinese imports via an overland route that bypasses Russia. Of course, we would say, there are the transit countries, such as Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia, but those mostly seek to make money on transit charges.<\/p>\n

Or is there more at play for countries along the Middle Corridor? Located just south of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan also aims to be part of the cross-Eurasia international trade frenzy. It is rarely seen as a core part of the China-Europe route, since freight can just transit Kazakhstan and pass the entire Central Asian part of the corridor in that way.<\/p>\n

Still, Uzbekistan takes a different perspective. O\u02bbztemiryo\u02bblkonteyner, the freight forwarding subsidiary of Uzbekistan Railways, explains to RailFreight.com that \u201cUzbekistan is not merely a transit country within this network; it is steadily positioning itself as an important regional hub.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan in Asia. Image: Shutterstock \u00a9 Zorica Jovanov<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Diversification is the strategy<\/h2>\n

The Middle Corridor provides opportunities for local businesses towards Europe and China. Both directions remain \u201cvital\u201d for Uzbekistan\u2019s trade strategy and regional connectivity, says Mirziyod Mirkhamidov, Chairman of the Board at UTK.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur national strategy focuses on diversification of transit routes to ensure resilience and efficiency in regional trade. The objective is to reduce dependence on any single corridor, such as the traditional northern route via Russia, and to enhance the competitiveness of the Middle and Southern corridors\u201d, Mirkhamidov adds.<\/p>\n

For Uzbekistan, the Middle Corridor (and other transport corridors) are strategic assets to reduce economic risk. That does not mean that transit income is completely out of the picture, even if Uzbekistan is not currently a key transit country. The CKU<\/a> (China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan) line, once operational, will substantially shorten the distance between Western China and Uzbekistan, which may result in \u201csome volume reorientation\u201d.<\/p>\n

However, adds Mirkhamidov, the CKU railway can also make Uzbekistan a key transit country between East Asia and Europe when it is completed.<\/p>\n

The Chinese and the Europeans<\/h2>\n

The Chinese share Uzbekistan\u2019s optimism for diversification and boosting regional trade. Companies from China \u201chave shown particular enthusiasm\u201d to invest in infrastructure projects, rolling stock supplies and the development of logistics centres in Uzbekistan. \u201cChina is one of Uzbekistan\u2019s largest trade partners, and cooperation in railway logistics continues to expand\u201d, notes Mirkhamidov.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the<\/strong> Russian rolling stock industry worries<\/strong> about China’s rise on the market. With a struggling Russian economy, the Chinese manufacturer CRRC is outperforming Russian players, including in Central Asia.<\/p>\n