KIEV, UKRAINE — The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine announced on Jan. 5 the first launch of a container train to China via Ukraine-Georgia-Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan-China.

This new route will allow the commodity traffic to move east but also bypass Russia. The transportation route includes ferry crossings on the Black Sea and Caspian Sea (Illichivsk-Batumi and Aliat-Aktau Port). It will make a more competitive route compared with traditional overland routes.

The Ministry also said that all parties agreed on accelerated delivery terms, tariff conditions and train operators to launch the train route. The train included approximately 20 train cars.

Due to not being able to go through Russia, the Ministry and Ukrainian Railways continue to work to create new alternative routes to redirect cargo traffic.