Baku port boosts container handling to record 100,000 TEU

Baku International Sea Trade Port increased container handling to a record 100,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in 2025, marking the highest level in the port’s history, officials from Azerbaijan’s transport sector said.

The increase follows the integration of the port into Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) under a presidential decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev in early 2025. The move allowed closer coordination of rail and port operations, speeding up cargo handling and optimising logistics routes.

ADY, managed by AZCON Holding, said the integration helped strengthen the transport chain and improve operational flexibility, contributing to higher transit volumes through the port.

Development of international transport corridors crossing Azerbaijan, including the Middle Corridor linking China and Europe, has also supported the growth in cargo flows. Azerbaijan has been positioning itself as a key transit hub between East and West.

According to ADY, 350 block trains arrived from China via Central Asia in the first 11 months of 2025, including 128 transit trains, up 34% year on year.

Container throughput at the Baku port rose from 40,345 TEU in 2020 to 76,775 TEU in 2024. In January–November 2025, throughput reached 96,980 TEU, an increase of 40.8% compared with the same period last year.

The port is currently working to increase its annual cargo handling capacity to 25 million tonnes through terminal expansion, automation and digitalisation projects. Officials also highlighted the port’s energy-efficient infrastructure and the launch of a single transit centre bringing customs and related services under one roof to speed up cargo clearance.

N.Tebrizli