BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 28. The Baku port
ranks among the crucial hubs of the Middle Corridor, as there is no
other multipurpose cargo port with comparable capacity and
operational capabilities within Azerbaijan or on the western coast
of the Caspian Sea.
This was stated in the World Bank report “Integration:
World-Class Trade Logistics along the Trans-Caspian Transport
Corridor.”
According to the document, the capacity of the Port of Baku is
set to increase from the current 15 million to 25 million tons of
cargo, while container handling capacity will rise from 150,000 to
260,000 TEUs in the first phase, with a subsequent increase to
approximately 500,000–650,000 TEUs.
"The expansion entails, among other things, dredging operations
in the existing approach channel, as well as work in existing and
planned berth areas.
In 2025, the Baku port handled 8.2 million tons of cargo,
including 107,000 TEUs. The port's container throughput grew by 39
percent year-on-year," the report recalled.
The report also noted that the port has experience in
implementing public-private partnerships.
"For instance, a fertilizer transshipment terminal was
established with private sector participation, and the involvement
of private stevedoring companies was expanded in specific general
cargo and container handling operations," the report said.
According to World Bank estimates, the ongoing expansion of the
Baku port to a capacity of 25 million tons and approximately
500,000–650,000 TEUs, including the construction of new terminals,
such as a specialized container terminal, creates an opportunity to
shift the port's management model.
The document pointed out that this process allows for a broader
application of the "landlord port" management model and the
engagement of one or more leading international private operators
to manage the new terminals under long-term concession agreements
awarded through a competitive process.
