The future logistics center of Turkmenistan will be located in the port special economic zone of the Astrakhan region of Russia. This was stated this week by Denis Afanasyev, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Astrakhan region, the “Volga” news agency reports.

“The government of the Astrakhan region conduct talks with the Agency of Transport and Communications of Turkmenistan to open a logistics center of Turkmenistan in our region. We have agreed that the center will be located in the port special economic zone,” Afanasyev said during a meeting of the government of the Astrakhan region.

Denis Afanasyev clarified that the project of the Memorandum of intent on the implementation of this project has been sent to the Turkmen side.

He marked that the Astrakhan government conduct talks with the “Turkmen Sea and River Routes” Agency.

As per his words, Astrakhan ship builders approve their readiness to construct bulk carriers, container ships, ferries and other types of vessels for Turkmenistan. The possibility of industrial cooperation with the Turkmen plant “Balkan” is being worked out, Afanasyev noted.

Decree on creation of a port special economic zone and Caspian cluster in the Astrakhan region was signed by the Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin in November 2020.

Turkmenistan and Astrakhan discussed an opportunity of opening of logistics center on the territory of the Astrakhan region in March 2021.

At the beginning of 2022 a special working group was created, which is occupied with the preparation for opening of logistics center of Turkmenistan in the Astrakhan region. The working group included the leadership of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, the Agency “Turkmen Sea and River Routes”, logistics and railway companies of the country.