Logistics Week | August 16–22, 2026

2026-08-26

In January-June 2026, 5,086 cars were exported from Georgia to Iran, while in the same period last year, re-exports amounted to only 5 cars, worth 14.647 million USD. Accordingly, the number of exported cars has increased 1017 times. In addition to cars, Georgia exports to Iran ferroalloys ($6.982 million); wood materials $2.825; plastic polymers ($1.318 million) and cigars, cigarillos and cigarettes ($1.162 million).

In 2025, the average monthly price for storing products in a cold storage in Tbilisi was $27.2 per ton. In Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, the average cost of the same service was $23.5. Prices are given without VAT. In Tbilisi, the figure decreased compared to $29.1 in 2024, but still exceeds $23.1 in 2019. In Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, the price increased from $20.2 in 2024 to $23.5. The two markets also differ in the size of the facilities. According to the study, the average volume of cold storage facilities for rent in Tbilisi is 1,297 cubic meters, while in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti it is 341 cubic meters.

The turnover of Georgia's transport and warehousing sector in 2025 amounted to ₾11.4 billion. The figure increased by about 9% compared to the previous year. In 2019, the sector's turnover was ₾6 billion. Accordingly, its nominal volume has almost doubled in six years.

Uzbekistan plans to launch a logistics center in the port of Poti in 2027 with an annual throughput of 500 thousand tons of cargo. Uzbekistan also plans to launch the Tashkent International Financial Center and the International Digital Technologies Center – Enterprise Uzbekistan. The country’s authorities expect that both projects will attract $20-25 billion in capital, new knowledge and technologies to Uzbekistan. Major ongoing and planned projects in the country include the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Jizzakh region, the fourth copper enrichment plant in Almalyk, and new highways – Tashkent-Samarkand and Tashkent-Andijan.

In the transport and logistics sector, Uzbekistan has abolished customs duties and recycling fees on the import of trucks. In the case of the supply of wagons for international transportation, the VAT rate will be zero. In addition to the Poti project, Uzbekistan also plans to create large transport and logistics centers in Alat, Termez, Yangiuli, Akhangaran and Khanabad. This year, 105 new industrial and infrastructure projects worth a total of $27 billion are planned to be launched in Uzbekistan.

In the first half of 2026, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan exceeded $206 million. Exports from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan amounted to $179.1 million, while imports from Azerbaijan amounted to $27.2 million. During the period, Azerbaijan's share in Kazakhstan's total trade turnover amounted to 0.3%

In 2Q26, compared to the same period last year, Georgian railways transported 3.9 million tons of cargo, up 19.9% ​​year-on-year. 6.7% of this volume was domestic, 33.5% was international (excluding transit), and 59.8% was transit.

Georgia imported Kazakh crude oil for the first time. Until now, Georgia had been buying oil only from Russia. According to Geostat, in July, the country imported 5,456 thousand tons of Kazakh crude oil worth 3,227 million dollars.

Armenia is overtaking Russia. The construction and reconstruction of the railway infrastructure from the Armenian city of Eraskh to the border of Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan) and from Akhuriki to the border with Turkey will be fully financed from the state budget of Armenia.

The first forum of interregional cooperation between Uzbekistan and South Korea will be held in Seoul on September 11, 2026 and will bring together representatives of government agencies and the business sector of both countries. The forum will focus on issues such as trade, investment, industrial cooperation, vocational education, artificial intelligence, digital technologies and cultural ties;

The UK is ready to support the implementation of the Middle Corridor project, including investments in the construction of sustainable infrastructure. This was stated by the new British Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Duncan Norman. According to him, the UK welcomes practical steps such as border delimitation, Azerbaijani energy supplies to Armenia and the cross-border peace bridge initiative.

An electronic permit system (E-Permit) has been launched for international truck transport between Georgia and Uzbekistan, which aims to speed up the process of issuing permits for carriers and increase transparency. Through E-Permit, truck carriers will receive permits in electronic form, which will reduce the use of paper documents and the impact of the human factor in the process. The transition to a digital system will apply to bilateral and transit shipments between Georgia and Uzbekistan, as well as shipments to and from third countries.

Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), part of AZCON Holding, and the Georgian side discussed ways to strengthen the role of the middle corridor by reducing the time required to cross the border, improving the efficiency of freight and passenger transportation, developing transit capabilities, and expanding digital data exchange between railways and state agencies, including customs services. ADY electric railcars will be able to operate on the Boyuk-Kasik-Tbilisi-Boyuk-Kasik route without connecting to a train. The new system has already been tested and is expected to halve the time it takes for freight trains to cross the Azerbaijani-Georgian border.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has approved a package of bilateral agreements between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The package includes a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the fields of defense, energy, customs statistics related to bilateral trade, and food safety.

Another transit cargo was sent to Armenia by rail via Azerbaijan and Georgia. A total of 15 wagons loaded with 1,108 tons of wheat and 273 tons of barley from Russia departed from Bilajari station in the direction of Boyuk-Kesik. Against the backdrop of increased transport traffic in the region, the following have already been transported to Armenia via Azerbaijan: grain: more than 47,000 tons; fertilizer: 9,000 tons; other raw materials: 1,136 tons of propane, 1,114 tons of coal, 133 tons of aluminum and 67 tons of wood.

At the same time, up to 15,000 tons of diesel fuel and up to 5,000 tons of AI-92/AI-95 gasoline have already been exported directly from Azerbaijan to Armenia.

According to the revenues of the Georgian consolidated budget (without consolidation), if in January-July 2026 100 175 241 GEL was received from the transportation of trucks, in the same period of 2025 the mentioned amount amounted to 96 970 399 GEL. In accordance with the increase in the amount, 286 214 trailers crossed the country's corridor in January-July this year, compared to 277 058 trailers in the same period of 2025.

Turkey's first locally designed and manufactured electric locomotive, the E5000, has received the European Union's Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) certificate. The country's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure said that the locomotive, manufactured by state-owned railway equipment manufacturer TÜRASAŞ, meets EU standards.

TRACECA.GE