Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran Draft Tariff Agreement for North–South Corridor

Russia, in collaboration with Azerbaijan and Iran, has drafted a memorandum to set competitive through-tariff rates along the western route of the North-South International Transport Corridor, stated Oleg Belozerov, CEO and Chairman of Russian Railways, during the 83rd meeting of the CIS Railway Transport Council.

Belozerov said the memorandum represents an important step toward enhancing international logistics and improving the efficiency of cargo flows throughout the corridor. He added that work on tariff, digital and infrastructure cooperation along the North-South route will continue with all interested CIS railway administrations, The Caspian Post reports citing local media.

"To boost freight volumes, including non-container cargo, Russian Railways and Azerbaijan Railways have launched a joint action plan. This year, both sides signed agreements enabling electronic data exchange during transport procedures, replacing paper documentation with modern digital consignment notes and related forms. Similar efforts have begun with Iran," he said.

Belozerov also noted progress on the eastern branch of the North-South Corridor, which links Russia and India through Central Asia. A memorandum on bilateral electronic data exchange for tracking rolling stock via Turkmenistan-Iran border crossings has already been signed, contributing to a more than twofold increase in freight volumes from January to October.