The President of the European Council visits the new Port of Baku
Taleh Ziyadov, Director-General of Baku International Sea Trade Port has welcomed the President of the European Council Donald Tusk and said that the advanced IT system currently used at the port, by automating all operations, provides the cargo owner with the ability to monitor the cargo online, determine the location in the territory and gives other advantages.
According to the port’s statement, he noted that for fast and efficient loading and unloading, the time limit for loading onto ships and unloading of containers and dry cargo delivered by heavy trucks is set through the port’s operational information system. Thus, the processes are carried out in accordance with this schedule.
This operating system, which works online, immediately informs the cargo owner about its delivery to and from the Port of Baku.
The latest technological and engineering solutions used at the port make the complex the most modern and convenient cargo handling center in the region that meets international requirements, and also enhance its transit and transportation capabilities as an important transportation hub.
During the visit to Port of Baku, Donald Tusk got acquainted with the infrastructure created there. Mustafayev said that the area of the port covers 400 hectares, there are 12 berths, the total length of which is 2,100 meters. The port has 2 berths for Ro-Ro type vessels, a universal dry cargo and container terminal consisting of 7 berths, 2 ferry berths, and a berth for service fleet vessels. The length of the berth for service fleet vessels is 155 meters, 11 ships can moor there at the same time.
The annual transshipment capacity of the port is 15 million tons, including 100,000 containers. In general, after completion of all construction works, the port will be able to transship 25 million tons of cargo, including 500,000 containers, thanks to the 17 berths available.
Baku International Sea Trade Port was previously located within the city. Taking into account the bid of the country to become one of the major commercial and transportation hubs in the region and facilitate regional transformation, the state decided to move it to a new location, 70 km south of the capital Baku, near a settlement called Alat, which is located at the strategic crossroads of the regional railroads and highways.
The port in Alat is a transportation hub linking the west (Turkey & EU), south (Iran & India) and north (Russia). In addition, the port's location is linked to existing highways and railways, connecting the port to the inland regions of the country.
In 2018, the total volume of cargo transportation at all terminals of the Port of Baku was about 3.8 million tons, of which 84.5 percent (3.2 million tons) accounted for transit cargo.
Moreover, Director-General Taleh Ziyadov informed the guests about the joint projects implemented between the Port of Baku and the European Union since 2016. The ongoing projects include improving operational capabilities, preservation of the environment around the port, the “Green Port” project, waste management and disposal, study tours to the leading European ports, and application of international standards to the work of the new Port of Baku.