North-South Corridor (INSTC)
The International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a 7,200-km-long, multi-modal transport corridor for moving freight between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe. It includes a network of ship, rail, and road transport modes.
It was established in 2000 with the objective of increasing trade connectivity between major cities such as Mumbai, Moscow, Tehran, Baku, Bandar Abbas, Astrakhan and Bandar Anzali, as well as other cities and ports along the corridor. Participant countries aim to digitalise the process and reduce costs.
INSTC has gained importance this year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started on February 24, 2022. Western sanctions against Russia quickly followed and European and U.S. markets are now closed to most Russian products. Moscow has responded by pivoting its import and export trade south and east. Iran, India and China are identified as key markets to be expanded in the strategy to replace European trade.
Ports Europe: Updated October 18, 2022
Qatar considers joining North-South International Transport Corridor
Doha, Qatar (Ports Europe) July 8, 2024 – The Qatar government is considering joining the North-South International Transport Corridor, according to...
Russia’s Sviyazhsk Logistics Center still a distant dream
Sviyazhsk, Russia (Ports Europe) June 29, 2024 – After numerous grand announcements about related projects and huge delays, Russia’s Tatarstan region...
The delayed Rasht-Caspian Railway is operational
Rasht, Iran (Ports Europe) June 22, 2024 – The long-delayed Iran’s Rasht-Caspian Railway, connecting the city of Rasht to the country’s Caspian Sea port...
Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan keep talking North-South corridor
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) June 20, 2024 – Russia is pressing ahead with the creation of a key sanctions-busting route linking it with Asia –...
Joint Russia-Iran agency activities in Iran’s ports
Astrakhan, Russia (Ports Europe) June 15, 2024 – Iran’s state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) wants to organise joint agency...
Iran wants to use INSTC to move coal from Russia to India
Mumbai, India (Ports Europe) June 11, 2024 – Iran has announced plans to transport coal from Russia to India via Iran’s railway network, said the...
To build or not to build: Russian ports overseas
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) June 2, 2024 – The Russian government does not plan to support country’s private or state-owned companies investments in...
Bad news for jammed railway links to Russian ports
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) May 23, 2024 – A breakthrough in traffic volumes towards Russia’s Far East and in the southern direction (Black Sea)...
The road to the Caspian Sea – Makhachkala port
Makhachkala, Russia (Ports Europe) May 21, 2024 – After years of delays, the project for the construction of an access road to Russia’s Caspian Sea port of...
Russia, Iran discuss the new Astraport Shipping company
Astrakhan, Russia (Ports Europe) May 17, 2024 – Representatives of Russia’s Astrakhan Region and the Iranian Consul General in Astrakhan, Mahdi...
India signed 10-year deal for Iran’s Chabahar port
Chabahar, Iran (Ports Europe) May 14, 2024 – India has signed a 10-year contract to operate Iran’s Chabahar deep water port, eight years after...
Russia’s desperate North-South corridor looking to Africa
Astrakhan, Russia (Ports Europe) May 1, 2024 – Russia’s sanctions-busting International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) has to be connected to...
Turkmenistan transports tomatoes to Astrakhan, new trade routes
Olya, Russia (Ports Europe) April 22, 2024 – Turkmenistan has started sending fresh tomatoes to Astrakhan port in Russia. The first delivery was a modest...
Russia pushes for corridors with Asia to bypass sanctions
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) April 20, 2024 – Russia is pressing ahead with the creation of two new transport corridors linking it with Asia, seeking to...
Delo Group to build terminal in Astrakhan after Putin instruction
Astrakhan, Russia (Ports Europe) April 20, 2024 – Russia’s Delo Group plans to develop transport infrastructure on the Caspian Sea, build a terminal in...
Eco-journalists from different countries visited the Port of Baku
Baku, Azerbaijan (Ports Europe) April 16, 2024 – A group of eco-journalists from Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and the United Kingdom visited the...
Eurasian Development Bank sees regional infrastructure needs
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) April 5, 2024 – Last month, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) published a report entitled “Infrastructure in...
Russia’s North-South corridor lacks infrastructure, Caspian sinking
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) March 25, 2024 – There were no changes in the transit of goods from/to India and Southeast Asia to Russia in 2023 via...
Without figures, Moscow claims cargo rise via the INSTC Corridor
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) March 23, 2024 – Cargo turnover in 2023 in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which is key for...
NYT: Russia’s tries to pivot away from the West for good
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) March 16, 2024 – For centuries, trade with Europe was the main pillar of Russia’s economy. The war in Ukraine ended that,...