A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has announced it will implement a new ocean-rail route connecting Central Asia’s ocean-rail to APM Terminals (APMT) Poti.
APMT Poti aims to be the main intermodal gateway for an end-to-end transport solution connecting global producers to Central Asian markets.
According to APMT Poti, the purpose of this connection is to overcome the complexities of multiple modal changes between rail and sea in the region.
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Iain Rawlinson, CCO of APMT Poti, said: “Opportunities for Poti and Georgia are driven by the port’s location at the Western end of the Central Asian/Caucasian rail network connecting Asia with Europe through the Middle Corridor.
“This is a trade which is in its infancy, but with a container penetration rate estimated at less than 5 per cent of the potential market, and a $250 billion economy, the opportunities for cargo growth over Poti are enormous.”
Cargo arriving by ocean at APMT Poti intends to be seamlessly transported via rail to Baku in Azerbaijan.
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Subsequently, the journey continues from Baku across the Caspian Sea to Aktau. Finally, the cargo is delivered from there to its ultimate destinations in Central Asia such as Almaty, Astana, Tashkent via an efficient train network.
Maersk has established last-mile connections in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan through a dedicated trucking pool to provide seamless and dependable logistics.
According to Maersk, this approach enables efficient and secure delivery to the final destination, minimising delays and improving customer satisfaction.
In April 2023, APMT Poti handled 53,626 TEU.
