In January–August 2026, 53.5 thousand TEUs were transported via the Trans-Caspian route, up 11% from the previous year. 265 container block trains were operated (+29%). However, about
80% of the traffic goes in one direction—from east to west—and only about 20% goes back. Operators explicitly state that the corridor needs backhaul cargo and are looking for goods in Europe and Turkey for return trips to Central Asia.
For those of us working in Central Asia and the Caucasus directions, this is a familiar picture. Empty mileage is a cost that ultimately falls on one of the supply chain participants.
GRANDAR excels at finding return loads and combining routes, which gives us an advantage in rates and reliability. This applies to both container rail transport and road freight.
How do you handle the issue of backhaul loading on long-haul routes?