Georgian Railways (GR) signed an agreement with BTKI Railways, a joint venture of Georgia and Azerbaijan, and received the exclusive right to freight transportation on the Marabda–Kartsakhi section, the most important part of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway. The contract was signed in Tbilisi with the participation of the Georgian Ministry of Economy, representatives of GR, and Azerbaijan Railways.
The parties emphasized that the agreement will strengthen the country's transit and logistics potential, attract additional cargo, and reinforce regional cooperation. During the meeting, they discussed the further development of freight transportation and improving the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor connecting Europe and Asia.
The BTK railway stretches for 830 km, with the Georgian section accounting for 184 km. After the modernization of the Marabda–Kartsakhi branch was completed in 2024, the line's capacity increased from 1 to 5 million tons per year. The line has been operating in test mode since 2017 and is now receiving a new impetus for development under the management of BTKI Railways.