Rhenus Group signs new deal with Uzbekistan Railways

News 11 Oct 2023 by WCN Editorial

Rhenus Group and OTY have signed a MoU to establish joint ventures to operate and expand combined terminals in Andijan and Samarkand

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The deal was signed at the German government’s Central Asia Summit, which took place in Berlin in late September, in the presence of Uzbek Transport Minister Ilhom Mahkamov.

Under the agreement, two joint ventures will be established between Rhenus and Uztemiryulkonteyner, the container transport affiliate of OTY, to expand and operate the combined road-rail terminals in Andijan and Samarkand. The partners have also agreed to take strategic measures to expand capacity and increase rail freight traffic in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

“This strategic partnership with Uzbekistan Railways opens a new chapter in Rhenus almost 30-year presence in Central Asian Republiscss, a region home to around 94 million people. In the years ahead, we expect growing demand for the transportation of containerized goods and commodities that we connect with Europe’s transport networks along the Middle Corridor” [TCITC – Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor], acommented Tobias Bartz, CEO and Chairman of the Rhenus Group.

Uzbekistan is by far the most populous country in Central Asia with more than 35M residents and the country is experiencing robust economic growth. Within Central Asia, Uzbekistan is a bridge between China, Turkey and Europe. Along with its operations in Uzbekistan, the Rhenus Group also has its own companies in the neighboring countries of Kazakhstan, the southern Caucasus and the Asia-Pacific region.

“Investing in transhipment capacity in the economically emerging regions of Ferghana Valley and Samarkand will allow us and our partner to pursue further long-term transport projects,” said Heinrich Kerstgens, Head of the Project and Director Board Projects at Rhenus Group, at the signing of the MoU in Berlin.

The Berlin summit hosted a high level meeting between German federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the leaders of the five CARs – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – on financing for Middle Corridor infrastructure projects under the EU’s Global Gateway initiative (the new rival to China’s Belt and Road).