Nurminen Logistics, Finland's largest freight operator, announced the start of the first container route from China to circumvent Russia.

"On the new southern trans-Caspian line, Nurminen Logistics' first full-size container train departed today, May 10, 2022, from Chongqing, China," the company said.

The route begins in China and heads to Central Europe through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Romania. In collaboration with Kazakh railroads, the business built the line from the ground up in two months. It should be mentioned that the corporation temporarily closed its Russian headquarters on March 17.

"The new path is really popular. The next train, which leaves on May 25, is practically full, with only a few seats available.” Weekly departures will begin in June, according to the company.

Nurminen Logistics has previously stated its aim to expand the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and inked a commercial usage agreement with Kazakh State Railways on March 16.

TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) is a special project within the Europe-Caucasus-Asia Transport Corridor - Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS). It is supported by the European Union. The project was adopted at a conference in Brussels in May 1993 with the participation of 8 countries (5 Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan and 3 Caucasian republics). TRACECA is also a stable platform for bringing together interests and finding optimal ways to build mutually beneficial cooperation, including the development of economic ties, trade and transport communications in Europe, the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Caspian Sea, and Asia.

Expert Rufat Bayramov said that interest in the corridor has grown since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war. According to him, by the end of 2022, the flow of goods through the TRACECA corridor is expected to increase by 5 times.