- The 10th Caspian Air Cargo Summit opened in Baku on 23 September, with senior government leaders and industry executives underlining Azerbaijan’s ambitions to become a central hub for Eurasian logistics.
- Hosted by Silk Way West Airlines at the Baku Convention Centre, the three-day gathering brings together stakeholders from across the globe to debate the shifting dynamics of cargo aviation, supply chain resilience, and the region’s expanding role in international trade.
The opening session began with Lars-Gunnar Comén, Director of Euroavia International, who reflected on the disruptive forces repeatedly testing global aviation.
“There is always some kind of disruption in trade, geopolitics, global unrest, COVID-19 or something else affecting the aviation industry,” he said. Stressing the importance of maintaining open markets, he repeated a message delivered at earlier editions: “Free trade is good. Change management will be crucial.”
Comén also acknowledged the long-standing support of Silk Way West Airlines as host carrier, together with platinum sponsor Boeing and a wide group of industry partners. He reminded delegates that the summit’s purpose was not only to debate industry change but to foster “many new business ties and a lot of fruitful discussions here in Baku.”
Delivering welcome remarks on behalf of the Azerbaijani government, Rashad Nabiyev, Minister of Digital Development and Transport, positioned the summit within the country’s wider transport strategy. He described Azerbaijan’s logistics sector as an increasingly “creative agent of global trade,” accelerated by geopolitical realignments that have placed new focus on the Middle Corridor as an alternative east-west route.
Nabiyev noted that Azerbaijan handled nearly 15 million tonnes of cargo last year, an 8.5 percent increase year on year. Air cargo has been central to this growth, with Silk Way operating one of the largest and most modern fleets in the region. Around 95 percent of volumes are transit flows, he said, underlining Azerbaijan’s role as a bridge between Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Nabiyev highlighted the development of a new international cargo airport within the Alat Free Economic Zone, scheduled to begin operations in 2027. The hub will integrate air, sea, road and rail connectivity, anchoring Azerbaijan’s vision to become a multimodal gateway across the Caspian basin and Central Asia. With incentives such as special economic zones and tax benefits, he argued, the country is attracting major logistics players from DHL to Amazon.
Silk Way Group marks a decade of the summit
Taking the stage next, Zaur Akhundov, President of Silk Way Group, marked the summit’s tenth anniversary as both a regional and international platform. He recalled that the first edition in 2006 hosted only 80 delegates; this year, the event welcomes hundreds of participants from the US, Europe, the CIS, the Middle East, India and China.
“The story of the summit closely mirrors the journey of our airline,” Akhundov said.
Akhundov emphasised the Alat airport and cargo village project as a landmark in the airline’s development. Covering 750 hectares, the hub is being built through a public-private partnership and will provide “unprecedented opportunities for trade along the Middle Corridor” while strengthening Azerbaijan’s role as a strategic aviation centre. Agreements already signed include a joint venture with Navoi to act as handling operator at the new airport, and memoranda with ExecuJet and Gulfstream to expand business aviation and maintenance services.
“The summit will once again provide a platform to discuss the future of cargo aviation, the driving forces of our industry, the daily challenges we face and the opportunities ahead,” Akhundov said, pointing to digitalisation and sustainability as priorities for discussion in the days ahead.
