The conference titled “The Importance of Türkiye’s Transport Role and Location for Sustainable Corridors” was held on June 11, 18, within the scope of the 2025th International Railway, Light Rail Systems, Infrastructure and Logistics Fair – Eurasia Rail.
Speakers of the conference included General Manager Ufuk Yalçın, UHGDM (Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Transport Services Regulation) General Manager Murat Baştor and TURKRAİL A.Ş. Board Chairman Habip Şen. The conference was held under the moderation of LODER (Logistics Association) President and Maltepe University Prof. Dr. Mehmet Tanyaş.
Türkiye's strategic role in the construction of sustainable international logistics networks, the transformation potential in railway transportation, data-supported, low-cost and environmentally friendly transportation lines, integrated transportation solutions, new models of public-private sector collaborations, and operational efficiency and sustainability were the main agenda items of the conference.
“Our goal: To reduce the transportation time on the Middle Corridor to less than 10 days”
Emphasizing that Türkiye is at a key point in the Trans-Caspian International Transportation Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, Yalçın said, “A cargo setting off from China crosses the Caspian Sea via Kazakhstan, connects to the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line via Azerbaijan and Georgia, and from there reaches Europe via Türkiye’s railway network.
"Compared to the 15-20 day transportation time in the North Corridor and the 45-60 day transportation time in the South Corridor, the Middle Corridor provides significant time and cost advantages with a transportation time of 10-15 days. Our goal in the medium term is to reduce this time to less than 10 days; in the long term, to operate 1.500 block trains per year on this route," he said.
“Türkiye is Advancing Rapidly on the Path to Becoming a Logistics Base”
Stating that sustainable corridors can be possible with multilateral cooperation, Yalçın said, “We are making great efforts to increase regional integration and technical harmonization by taking an active role in many platforms such as Central Asian countries, Organization of Turkic States, European Rail Transport Community, Economic Cooperation Organization, TRACECA and OTIF. These cooperations aim to simplify customs procedures, achieve competitive pricing policies with common tariffs, and achieve transparent and predictable transportation processes through data sharing. As a result of these investments, Turkey is rapidly advancing towards becoming a logistics base that manages, organizes and produces value by moving beyond being a transit country.”
Importance of Sustainable Corridors Draws Attention
Speaking at the conference, Ufuk Yalçın stated that Türkiye's transformation in the field of transportation and logistics is an investment in the world of the future and said, "Through sustainable corridors, we aim to diversify global trade, increase energy efficiency, reduce logistics costs and most importantly, ensure environmental sustainability."
Yalçın also drew attention to what needs to be done for environmental sustainability and said, “Making existing lines signaled and electrified and improving them, increasing the number and capacity of modern logistics centers integrated with the railway, providing storage, handling and value-added services, spreading digital solutions and automation in railway transportation, and cooperation and standardization studies with neighboring countries and international organizations for railway transportation are of great importance for increasing export and transit transportation.”
UHDGM General Manager Murat Baştor, who was among the speakers at the conference, made a presentation on “Transportation Corridors”. Baştor gave information about Türkiye’s sustainability vision and said, “Our vision is to be a pioneer in the world with human and environment-oriented, smart and safe integrated transportation systems and fast communication networks in the Turkish century. Logistics success should be measured not only by speed but also by reducing the carbon footprint.”
