Finnish company Nurminen Logistics has closed its Russian office ‘for the time being’ and is developing a Trans-Caspian route from Asia to Europe as a result of ‘extensive changes in the operating environment’ since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,

Nurminen’s import and export operations in Russia have ceased, although transit container traffic from China will continue to operate. The company is to intensify co-operation with Kazakhstan’s national railway KTZ on the China – Finland route, focusing on the use of wagons registered in Kazakhstan and owned by Kazakh companies.

Nurminen is also developing plans to launch a China to Europe freight service via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. On March 16 it signed an agreement with KTZ Express, building on previous agreements with the national railways of Azerbaijan and Georgia, and said ’the conditions for organising the transport corridor are excellent’.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or Middle Corridor, starts in southeast Asia or China and runs through Kazakhstan to the port of Aktau and across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and then by rail to Georgia for shipping across the Black Sea.

Nurminen plans to organise a trial service between April and June, with the launch of commercial services planned between July and September.