North-South Transport Corridor Volume Surges, Driven by Container Traffic

According to the Economic Desk of Webangah News Agency, Oleg Belozerov, Chief Executive Officer of Russian Railways, confirmed that freight throughput along the North-South Corridor is currently on an upward trajectory. Container shipments constitute the largest share of goods moved across this critical route.

Belozerov detailed that the volume of transport along the corridor rose substantially in 2025, escalating from 7,200 to 11,000 TEUs, signaling clear development in the corridor’s operations. This expansion includes the successful transit of both outbound and return cargo between northern and southern destinations.

The CEO of Russian Railways emphasized that the operational corridor is generating novel opportunities, specifically mentioning the potential for intermodal transport routes extending toward Afghanistan. Currently, goods are being dispatched through this route destined for Africa, India, and Arab nations.

Simultaneously, a reverse flow of commodities has commenced moving toward Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation. Belozerov noted that significant collaborative effort is being directed toward developing these return shipments, especially following the recent inauguration of the Aprin dry logistics center in Iran.

The foundational intergovernmental agreement establishing the 7,200-kilometer North-South Multimodal Transport Corridor was originally signed in 2000 by Russia, India, and Iran. The participating membership has since expanded to encompass 14 countries. The primary strategic objective of the project is to secure transit flows from India, Iran, and the Persian Gulf countries through Russian territory toward European markets. Presently, the initiative successfully integrates several disparate transport networks across various participating nations.