BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 22. An information event themed "Innovations in Railroad Technology in Azerbaijan: Partnerships and Opportunities for German Companies" has been held in Baku, TurkicWorld reports.
The event was organized as a part of a business trip to Azerbaijan for a delegation of German entrepreneurs by the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) on October 21-25.
During the trip, German companies will gain comprehensive and real information about the railway technology market in Azerbaijan, the standards applied, as well as potential projects and opportunities.
The participants will have opportunities to establish direct business connections with Azerbaijani companies and specialists in the railway industry, facilitating extensive exchanges of information about German expertise.
The trip participants are representatives of Elektro Thermit GmbH & Co KG, HÜBNER GmbH & Co. KG, KATHREIN Solutions GmbH, Schaltbau GmbH, Vagoteq GmbH, and WAGNER Rail GmbH companies.
Acting Head of the Research and Development Center at the Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Orkhan Ahmadzade said that the CJSC is developing a decarbonization strategy and action plan that focuses on investments in clean technologies, renewable energy use, and the modernization of energy-efficient infrastructure,
"Sustainable development is a key component of our growth strategy. We are developing a decarbonization strategy and action plan that includes investments in eco-friendly technologies, the use of renewable energy, and the modernization of energy-efficient infrastructure. In the future, Azerbaijan's railways plan to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI), implementing AI-based solutions to improve safety, efficiency, and real-time decision-making," he said.
He noted that AI will be used for infrastructure monitoring, predicting maintenance needs for rolling stock and infrastructure, managing train schedules, and optimizing cargo handling. This initiative aims to ensure quicker response times, improved accuracy, and more reliable services for businesses.
"Our plans also include investments in training programs for railway staff. This is essential to ensure our team is well-prepared to work with advanced systems and provide better service to businesses. The business climate in Azerbaijan is rapidly changing, and railways play a central role in the country's economic transformation," he added.
Ahmadzade also said that Azerbaijan Railways is working on the implementation of a situation center as a hub for monitoring and managing railway operations.
The official pointed out that, along with attracting a larger volume of cargo, several key areas of growth make the railway sector in Azerbaijan attractive to investors.
"First of all, this is digitalization. Azerbaijan Railways is undergoing significant digital transformation, utilizing systems such as an automated railway transport management system aimed at automating operations at stations and commercial activities at border stations.
Advanced signaling systems, such as microprocessor centralization and digital mobile radio communication, will provide more effective communication.
The situational center will enable real-time observation and control of operations, ensuring a quicker response to incidents and improving coordination," he mentioned.
Deputy Head of the Business Mission at the German Embassy in Baku, Heiko Schwarz, said that the Middle Corridor has significant potential to evolve into an environmentally friendly transport route with zero emissions.
"The role of Azerbaijan as a key transport hub is steadily increasing. When I arrived in Azerbaijan three and a half years ago, the Middle Corridor was stagnant. However, political changes over the last few years have led to rapid development. Today, this route not only facilitates the movement of goods from China to Europe but also contributes to the creation of regional value chains. Railways and ports play a central role in these processes," Schwarz pointed out.
He emphasized that in the lead-up to COP29, the topic of environmental sustainability is becoming increasingly important. Azerbaijan, in addition to its role as an energy producer, is actively working to transform the Middle Corridor into a green route that ensures zero emissions, making it unique among global transport lines.
Meanwhile, the Middle Corridor links the container rail freight transportation networks of China and European Union countries via Central Asia, the Caucasus, Türkiye, and Eastern Europe.
Multilateral multimodal transportation infrastructure connects ferry terminals of the Caspian and Black Seas with railway systems of China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye, Ukraine, and Poland.
Another speaker of the event, Chairman of the Board of AHK Azerbaijan Anar Hasanov explained that the country has set an ambitious goal - to increase the volume of cargo transportation to 30 million tons per year by the end of 2030.
According to him, significant progress has already been achieved, and this year the share of railway transport in Azerbaijan's GDP has increased from 5.4 percent to seven percent.
"Railways remain one of the most environmentally friendly modes of transport, which is particularly important ahead of COP29, when issues of sustainable development take center stage. Azerbaijan's geographic location makes it a key hub on global transport corridors connecting North-South and East-West," Hasanov pointed out.
He added that Azerbaijan has achieved record performance in cargo transportation, handling about 18–19 million tons of cargo last year alone, with the goal of increasing this figure to 30 million tons by the end of 2030.
