20.06.2024, Tehran.
A new section of the North-South international trade route from Resht station to the port of Caspian was launched in Iran, RIA Novosti reported on June 20, citing its sources in Iran.
This railroad line connects Iran’s Caspian ports with the Iranian railroad network, allowing access to the seaport of Chabahar in southern Iran, from where cargoes can reach one of the continent’s largest southern ports, the Indian port of Mumbai.
The North-South multimodal transportation corridor is an alternative trade route for Russia, allowing it to trade with China and India, bypassing European ports. While before the US sanctions war with Russia this multimodal corridor did not receive much attention, after the closure of European ports for the Russian merchant fleet and Russian companies, the importance of this trade route has increased manifold.
The North-South corridor allows Russian goods to be delivered both along the Volga River to Russian Caspian ports and by rail. The Caspian Sea is traversed by trade caravans in three directions – along the western shore, through Azerbaijan, along the eastern shore, through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and by water, using cargo ships.
The Resht-Caspian railroad section is part of the longer Resht-Astara railroad, which covers more of Iran’s Caspian ports located within the Enzeli seaside trade and industrial zone. Until now, these Caspian ports were not connected to Iran’s main railroad network, which hindered the growth of the North-South multimodal corridor. With the ports’ connection to the country’s main railroad network, it is possible to multiply the flow of goods both from and to Russia.
Russia and Iran signed an agreement on the construction of the Resht-Astara railroad on May 17, 2023. The cost of the project is estimated at €1.6 billion, of which €1.3 billion was provided by the Russian side as a loan.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
