The Port of Baku has said its expansion and free trade project has been completed, with the assistance of the EU and several leading European countries in the field of IT software and human resources.
In a statement, the Port of Baku said the final phase of the project was completed on the 15 April 2020, having started in 16 January 2018.
It saw the building of a new port called Port of Baku at Alat, which was finally completed with the relocation of the IT systems and other functions related to port operations.
In a statement, the Port of Baku said the project required “the experience of leading European countries in the field of human resources management system and port in the field of public relations, facilitation and development of regional and international trade”.
Taleh Ziyadov, Director General of the Baku International Sea Trade Port, said: “The cooperation between the Port of Baku and the European Union in developing human capital and expanding the port’s operational capacity has been very useful in terms of institutional development.
“The project, implemented by the consortium Ecorys Nederland BV and Haskoning DHV Nederland BV, was marked by the successful synergy of a professional team and will contribute to the future sustainable development of Baku Port”.
The aim of the project was to transform the Azerbaijani economy through the establishment of an international port and logistics centre.
This in turn is designed to accelerate growth in the wider Eurasian region and turn Azerbaijan into a major gateway for trade between Asia and Europe.
Central to Azerbaijan’s economic plans is the Alat Free Trade Zone, which will revolve around the Port of Baku in Alat. It signed an agreement with DP World in 2016 to build said free trade zone.
