On 21 January 2025, Ady Express, a subsidiary of Azerbaijan Railways Cjsc, announced the successful completion of its first container rail shipment in collaboration with Germany’s Hellmann Worldwide Logistics through the Middle Corridor. The freight train departed from Chongqing, China, bound for Europe, traversing Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The train comprised 55 forty-foot containers carrying mixed cargo destined for various regions.
Part of the shipment, destined for Georgia and Eastern Europe, reached its final destinations through Georgia's Port of Poti, crossing the Black Sea to Constanța Port in Romania. The remaining cargo, bound for Turkey and Germany, continued along the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, heading towards Europe. This initiative marks a significant step in diversifying logistical routes between Asia and Europe, with strategic implications for global trade. The Middle Corridor, linking China and Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, is an emerging route offering multimodal transport alternatives to the traditional transit paths through Russia and Ukraine. Azerbaijan, with its strategic location, reaffirms its position as a vital transit hub for trade between East and West.
Ady Express was established to provide rail-based logistics services. The company offers a comprehensive range of solutions, including rail freight, door-to-door container transport, and maritime services across the Caspian and Black Seas. Recently, Azerbaijan Railways announced the merger of its subsidiary Ady Container into Ady Express to unify transport services under a single organisation, streamline transit management, and align with international practices.
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, founded in Germany in 1871, is one of the world’s leading logistics providers, operating over 489 offices in 173 countries. The company offers a full suite of services, including multimodal transport, supply chain management, and distribution solutions. This partnership represents a turning point for Hellmann, which previously relied on rail routes through Russia. The joint project with Ady Express highlights growing confidence in the Middle Corridor as a viable and efficient alternative.
