The reinstitution of passenger transport in the Caspian Sea and the integration of this direction into the Middle Corridor have been brought to the agenda.
Sea-news.az reports citing Avtosfer.az, that transport expert Rauf Agamirzayev drew attention to the historical experience of passenger transport in the Caspian, stating that regular passenger transport from Baku to cities located on the other shores of the Caspian was carried out during the Soviet era.
As an example, the expert showed an image of a passenger-cargo ship named Kyrgyzstan at the Baku Sea Station. According to him, the vessel, commissioned in 1959, operated as part of the Caspian Shipping Company, and one of its main routes was the Baku–Astrakhan passenger line.
Rauf Agamirzayev noted that the Kyrgyzstan was not merely a tourist or cruise ship. During that period, the Caspian Sea served as an important part of intercity passenger transport.
Today, the transport potential of the Caspian is utilized primarily for cargo shipping. The Baku International Sea Trade Port, Aktau, Kuryk, and Turkmenbashi ports act as key elements of the Middle Corridor. However, according to him, the possibilities of establishing a passenger component for the corridor can also be explored in the future.
Rauf Agamirzayev believes that the use of modern passenger and ro-pax vessels on routes such as Baku–Aktau, Baku–Türkmənbaşı, and other suitable directions could be considered.
“This does not mean replicating the past Kyrgyzstan model identically. A modern model can be built on the basis of an electronic ticketing system, the integration of railway-marine-road transport, convenient transfer facilities at ports, and a stable schedule,” the expert stated.
The use of modern Ro-Pax type vessels would allow for the transport of automobiles alongside passengers. This could facilitate the integration of trips across the Caspian with other modes of transport within the Middle Corridor.
The expansion of tourism and business ties between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan could increase the demand for passenger transport across the Caspian in the future. Such connections could also create additional opportunities for the development of port cities.
The potential of the Middle Corridor should not be limited solely to cargo transit. In his view, the corridor can also be developed as a passenger transport system connecting various countries and cities.
The photo of the Kyrgyzstan vessel taken at the Baku Sea Station shows that passenger transport in the Caspian is not a new idea. According to him, the main issue is not to restore the past system as it was, but to reshape that experience using modern technology and transport infrastructure.
The expert stated that it would be advisable to separately investigate the economic, tourism, and transport potential of passenger transport in the Baku–Aktau and Baku–Türkmənbaşı directions.
