CAREC Institute and Asian Development Bank Hold Joint Transport Seminar

On 12 September, the CAREC Institute (CI) hosted a joint transport seminar with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at its headquarters. Representatives from CI, ADB, Xinjiang University, and the Bank of China Xinjiang branch attended.

CI Director Charymuhammet Shallyyev welcomed participants and stressed the importance of efficient transport networks for regional connectivity and growth. He then outlined CI’s ongoing work in transport and logistics. Dr. Ghulam Samad, Chief of CI’s Research Division, presented findings from the ongoing containerization study. He noted several key insights: seaports are major bottlenecks in the Caspian Sea; there is a mismatch in handling capacity at border crossing points; port dwell time is caused by collection and delivery procedures; and transit cargo is the main driver of container freight demand.

At the seminar, ADB experts shared updates on the CAREC transport portfolio and key recommendations from the mid-term review of the CAREC Transport Strategy 2030. They emphasized the need to adopt new technologies. In addition, they expressed interest in expanding cooperation with CI in joint research and capacity-building initiatives.

Earlier in the week, CI and ADB representatives visited the Khorgos border crossing. They met with local government officials, toured customs clearance facilities, and spoke with logistics companies to gain a first-hand understanding of local operations.

With this seminar and field visit, CI and ADB are working together more closely to promote sustainable transport and logistics development in the CAREC region.