Georgian mineral water loaded on August 13 has been stuck at Azerbaijan’s Alat port for nearly a month, waiting to be transferred to a ferry, according to Paata Tsagareishvili, director of the Transport Corridor Research Center.
Tsagareishvili said the delay could mean the cargo takes up to two months to reach its final destination in Uzbekistan. He warned that such transit times could discourage exporters from using the Middle Corridor again. “A cargo owner will not send their goods through the Middle Corridor a second time under such conditions,” he said.
He cited several possible reasons for the disruption, including increased cargo flows after shipments from Iran were restricted. According to Tsagareishvili, Azerbaijan is currently giving priority to its own cargo, including sugar and petroleum products, for ferry transportation, while Georgian shipments are delayed.
Tsagareishvili said cargo should be handled according to a clear queue without preferential treatment and also pointed to alleged unofficial payments as another negative factor. He stressed that such operational details are crucial to the reliability and competitiveness of the Middle Corridor.
