BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 26. In the period from January through July of this year, Azerbaijan's air transport sector carried 74,000 metric tons of cargo worth $4.920 billion.
This was announced in a report published by the State Customs Committee.
According to the report, this figure exceeds the corresponding period of 2025 by $32.6 million, or 0.7%, in value, and by 65,000 metric tons, or 8.2 times, in volume.
Over the reporting period, Azerbaijan exported nearly 66,500 metric tons of cargo by air, valued at $3.833 billion. Compared to the same period of the previous year, this represents an increase of $3.6 billion, or 17.3 times, in value, and 64,900 metric tons, or 42.5 times, in volume.
In the first seven months of this year, Azerbaijan imported 7,500 metric tons of cargo by air, worth $1.087 billion. Compared to the same period in 2025, this figure decreased by $3.6 billion, or 4.3 times, in value, while in volume it increased by 84 metric tons, or 1.1%.
Meanwhile, in the period from January through July 2026, Azerbaijan transported a total of 31.811 million metric tons of cargo via all modes of transport, valued at $29.217 billion. Compared to the same period of the previous year, this represents an increase of $374.5 million, or 1.3%, in value, and a decrease of 2.6 million metric tons, or 7.5%, in volume.
Overall, in recent years, Azerbaijan has continued to implement major infrastructure projects aimed at transforming the country into one of Eurasia’s key transit and logistics hubs. The country has invested billions of dollars in rail and road infrastructure, seaports, and logistics facilities to increase freight traffic along the East–West, North–South, and Middle Corridor routes. The main goal of this policy is to further strengthen Azerbaijan’s position as a reliable transit hub between Europe and Asia.
In particular, the development of the Middle Corridor is one of the top priorities of state policy. The Baku International Sea Trade Port, the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, the Alat Free Economic Zone, and new logistics centers are significantly enhancing the competitiveness of this route. Work is currently underway to expand the Baku port, increasing its throughput capacity from 15 million to 25 million metric tons and its container handling capacity from 500,000 to 1 million TEU.
In an exclusive interview with Trend, Umberto de Pretto, Secretary General of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), stated that thanks to investments in transportation and logistics infrastructure made in recent years, Azerbaijan has become one of the key players in the Middle Corridor.
"Azerbaijan’s investments in transportation infrastructure are now paying off. The country continues to strengthen its position as a reliable transit gateway between Europe and Asia and plays a leading role in the development of the Middle Corridor," he emphasized.
Asset Assavbayev, Secretary General of the TRACECA Intergovernmental Commission, noted in an exclusive interview with Trend that the transportation projects being implemented by Azerbaijan are reshaping the region’s logistics landscape.
"The modern transportation infrastructure and port capabilities developed by Azerbaijan significantly enhance the competitiveness of the TRACECA route. The increase in cargo traffic along the Middle Corridor demonstrates the effectiveness of these investments," he said.
Azerbaijan’s transit potential is expected to continue growing in the coming years amid rising cargo traffic along the China-Central Asia-Caspian-Caucasus-Europe route. This is of great importance in terms of increasing the country’s non-oil revenues, expanding logistics services, and strengthening Azerbaijan’s strategic role on international trade routes.
Particular emphasis is placed on the fact that the opening of the Zangezur Corridor will further expand Azerbaijan’s transit capabilities. Thus, this route can enhance the efficiency of the Middle Corridor by connecting the East-West and North-South international transport corridors, shorten freight routes, and further strengthen Azerbaijan’s position as a regional logistics hub. In short, the corridor’s commissioning will make a significant contribution to strengthening transport links between Turkic countries and increasing freight flows between Europe and Asia.
According to information from the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, the volume of freight traffic along the Middle Corridor is expected to increase further in the coming years.
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According to the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, the volume of freight traffic along the Middle Corridor is expected to increase further in the coming years. To this end, work is underway to increase capacity, promote digitalization, and streamline border procedures along the corridor.
In an exclusive interview with Trend, Taleh Ziyadov, CEO of the Baku International Sea Trade Port, stated that the port’s current annual capacity is 15 million metric tons and 150,000 TEU containers, and that upon completion of the second phase of development, these figures will increase to 25 million metric tons and 500,000 TEU, respectively.
"We are developing the Port of Baku not only as a cargo reception point but also as an integrated logistics and industrial hub between Europe and Asia. Our goal is to enhance the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor and expand Azerbaijan’s transit capabilities," Ziyadov told Trend.
He noted that the implementation of digital solutions at the Port of Baku, the acceleration of cargo handling, and the development of multimodal transport are helping to reduce transit times and improve transportation efficiency. In an interview with Trend, Valeh Alasgarov, chairman of the board of directors of the Alat Free Economic Zone (FEZ), emphasized that the zone is being developed as one of the main production and logistics platforms of the Middle Corridor.
"The Alat Free Economic Zone offers investors one of the most competitive business environments in the region. Our goal is to transform Azerbaijan into a regional hub for manufacturing, logistics, and export-oriented industries. Companies operating here will gain access to markets with hundreds of millions of consumers through both the Middle Corridor and other international transport routes," Alasgarov told Trend.
According to him, the projects being implemented in the free zone will contribute not only to transit transportation but also to the development of high-tech manufacturing, as well as to further strengthening Azerbaijan’s role in international supply chains.
Thus, the published statistics on the volume of cargo transportation along transport corridors are of particular significance in light of the results of a long-term strategy aimed at strengthening Azerbaijan’s position as a logistics and transit hub. The expansion of the Baku port, the development of the Alat Free Economic Zone, and the deepening of international cooperation along the Middle Corridor will create conditions for a further increase in the country’s transit revenues and its share in regional logistics in the coming years.
