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
Iran’s Anzali port sees 58% growth in traffic in Jan-Apr 2020
Tehran, Iran (PortSEurope) August 14, 2020 – In the first four months of 2020, cargo traffic increased by 58% to 556,000 tons. Exports were up by 54% and...
Analysis – Russia “discovers” its strategic Caspian Sea ports
Makhachkala, Russia (PortSEurope) August 13, 2020 – After years of neglect, it seems that Moscow is slowly discovering the potential of its three Caspian Sea...
Iran and Russia to start joint Caspian Sea shipping line
Tehran, Iran (PortSEurope) August 13, 2020 – Moscow and Tehran have agreed to launch a new Caspian Sea shipping service between Russia’s port of...
Amirabad Port has 52% of traffic among the northern ports of Iran
Tehran, Iran (Ports Europe) July 3, 2020 – In the first quarter of 2020, 844,869 tons of goods handled in Amirabad port, a 52% share of the total volume...
Azerbaijan and Iran to set up a joint logistics centre in Iran’s Ardabil province
Baku, Azerbaijan (Ports Europe) June 10, 2020 – Azerbaijan and Iran are planning to set up a joint logistics centre together with an industrial area in...
Cargo traffic through North-South Transport Corridor to be boosted
May 19, 2020 Governor of Russia’s Astrakhan Region Igor Babushkin tasked the participants of the regional working group for development of the International...
Chabahar intermodal corridor links India, Iran and Afghanistan
Chabahar, Iran (Ports Europe) April 24, 2020 – The first India-Iran-Afghanistan intermodal transport, using Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR...
16% increase port traffic in last Iranian calendar year
Vienna, Austria (Ports Europe) April 23, 2020 – Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister, Mohammad Eslami, has reported that the capacity of...
RZD International to stop operations in Iran
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) April 6, 2020 – Russian Railways division RZD International, a special purpose engineering company, has announced that it...
Analysis – Strategic and overambitious Iranian move in Russian Caspian, financed by China, or much ado about nothing
Lagan, Russia (Ports Europe) March 23 – A group of Iranian companies, financed by China, wants to invest in the development of the small southern Russian...
Russia and India progress International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) transport
New Delhi, India, (Ports Europe) March 19, 2020 – CONCOR (Container Corporation of India Ltd) and Russian Railways Logistics (RZD) have signed an...
International North–South Transport Corridor attracts further regional interest
Baku, Azerbaijan (Ports Europe) February 25, 2020 – Both Iran and Pakistan have shown interest in becoming linked to the International North–South...
Azerbaijan, Iran to build Rasht-Astara railway line
Baku, Azerbaijan (Ports Europe) December 11, 2019 – Azerbaijan and Iran have agreed to build a railway between Rasht (Iran) and Astara which will be part...
Aktau port joins Regional Forum on Trade and Transport
Aktau, Kazakhstan (Ports Europe) December 10, 2019 – The chief manager of the marketing and sales department of the port of Aktau, Қalioli Қ, took part...
EBRD to help Belarus upgrade key transport corridors
EBRD – December 3, 2019 The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is to furnish a loan of €259 million for upgrades of key...
Ukraine and Iran ministers look to transport cooperation
Odessa, Ukraine (PortSEurope) November 5, 2019 – On November 1, 2019, Minister of Infrastructure Vladislav Kricliy met with Ambassador Extraordinary and...
Azerbaijan see transit role to promote business for Turkic-speaking countries
Baku, Azerbaijan (PortSEurope) October 17, 2019 – Speaking at the 7th Turkic Council in Baku, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that his country...
Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan to set up INSTC working group
Sochi, Russia (PortSEurope) August 28, 2019 – The transport ministries of Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan have agreed to establish a working group in order...
Iran, Turkmenistan to establish direct shipping link
Ashganat, Turkmenistan (PortSEurope) August 28, 2019 – Iran and Turkmenistan have agreed to set up a direct shipping route between the two countries...
Iran and Azerbaijan discuss International North-South Transport Corridor
Vienna, Austria (PortSEurope) August 13, 2019 – Azerbaijani Economy Minister and Co-chairman of the Azerbaijan-Iran State Commission for Economic,...