Port of Baku cargo throughput increased by 20 percent in 2020
In 2020, a significant increase in all services were observed in the “Baku International Sea Trade Port” (Baku Port) CJSC, the company says in a press release. The total volume of cargo handled at the port, which is an important part of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, was more than 4.8 million tons, which is 20% more than in 2019. The share of transit cargo was 87% of the total cargo.
The number of large-capacity vehicles (TIR) and containers transported in 2020 was at a record level for the last 30 years. During the reporting period, the number of large vehicles increased by 28% compared to the same period last year and amounted to 43,218. Of these, 27,934 (65%) moved in the direction of Baku-Turkmenbashi-Baku, and 15,284 (35%) moved in the direction of Baku-Kuryk-Baku. The number of exported containers increased by 15% and reached 40,345 containers in TEU equivalent. The volume of cargo transported at the dry cargo terminal increased 2.8 times and amounted to 711.7 thousand tons.
Thus, compared to the last 5 years (since 2015), there has been a 5-fold increase in the volume of large- capacity vehicles (TIR), 3 times in containers, and 3.5 times in the volume of dry cargo handled at the terminal.
Another significant increase was recorded in the volume of oil and oil products transported at the Dubandi oil terminal. Thus, the volume of oil and oil products exported in 2020 increased by 1.5 times compared to 2019 and amounted to 498,577 tons.
There was a partial decrease in wagon overtaking at the ferry terminal of the Port of Baku. Thus, compared to 2019, the number of wagons in 2020 decreased by 15% to 37,447 units. Of these, 19,761 wagons moved in the direction of Baku-Turkmenbashi-Baku (53%), and 17,686 wagons in the direction of Baku-Kuryk / Aktau-Baku (47%).
In 2020, due to border restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a decrease in passenger traffic and amounted to 25,609 passengers.
The analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic was carried out operatively by professional medical staff at the Port of Baku, and a similar experience was applied at the Red Bridge border checkpoint where most the trucks come from. In 2020, 21,599 foreign drivers, of whom 14,411 passed the COVID-19 test at the Port of Baku and 7,188 at the Red Bridge.
