Maersk launches new weekly ocean rail offering to better connect Central Asian markets

September 15, 2023

Maersk announced a new transport solution that seamlessly connects important producing countries in the United States, Far East and especially Mediterranean and Europe with attractive Central Asian markets. The company’s new product, an end-to-end intermodal ship and rail transport solution, aims to enhance the efficiency of cargo transportation particularly for consumer, lifestyle, and tech products to the growing consumer markets in Central Asia. While this new tailor-made solution particularly focuses on Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, it will be the basis for further logistics offerings in the neighboring countries such as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Besides our existing rail connection through China, there has been a rising demand among our customers in the Western hemisphere for a logistics solution in this corridor which is seamlessly connected to a global network at the European end. We are happy to serve this demand with our new dedicated offering now and help our customers to reliably import and export their products to and from the Central Asian markets.

Sedef Ayhan

Managing Director East Mediterranean Area of Maersk

The Georgian port Poti is the main connecting gateway to Maersk’s global ocean network. From this port, cargo is seamlessly transported via rail to Baku in Azerbaijan. 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.

To ensure seamless and reliable logistics, Maersk has established last mile connections in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan through a dedicated trucking pool. This strategic approach enables efficient and secure delivery to the final destination, minimizing delays and enhancing customer satisfaction.

The transport solution is further bolstered by a dedicated control tower team, responsible for overseeing and managing the entire operations process. This team ensures a streamlined and coordinated approach to handling cargo, providing real-time updates, and addressing any potential issues that may arise along the journey.

From South-Eastern and Eastern Asian countries Maersk offers already a comprehensive rail and ocean-rail network to connect these markets to the Central Asian countries through China.

Source: Maersk