Turkiye and the European Union marked the completion of the U-IMT project, designed to strengthen intermodal transport services in Turkiye’s rail sector. Ankara says the project will make rail freight transport more competitive and increase the capacity of the Middle Corridor, the trans-Caspian route between Asia and Europe.

Turkiye and the European Union highlighted their cooperation in the field of rail freight transport and connectivity with the conclusion of the “Strengthening Intermodal Transport Services in the Turkish Railway Sector” project, known as U-IMT.

The project’s closing meeting took place on Tuesday, with the participation of Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Turkey’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, and Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement.

According to the Turkish minister, the project has yielded significant gains for the competitiveness of rail freight transport in Turkiye, for the capacity of the Middle Corridor, and for cooperation with the European Union in the field of connectivity.

“Through the U-IMT project, we have achieved significant gains that will make our rail freight transport more competitive, increase the capacity of the Middle Corridor, and further our cooperation with the European Union in the field of connectivity,” Uraloğlu said.

The project was co-financed by the European Union and Turkiye and aimed to improve intermodal freight services in the Turkish railway sector.

The objective was to support a transition toward a safer, more balanced transportation system with a lower environmental impact. In practice, the project aimed to develop an action plan for intermodal freight services, identify strategic infrastructure needs, and strengthen the institutional capacity of Turkish transportation authorities.

Intermodal transport combines multiple modes of transport—typically rail, road, and sea—using the same loading units, such as containers or semi-trailers. For Turkiye, the development of these services is linked to the country’s role as a logistics hub between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

The Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, connects Asia to Europe via Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus, and Turkiye.

The route has gained importance in recent years as an alternative for trade flows between Asia and Europe, amid the reconfiguration of logistics chains and growing interest in transport corridors that bypass traditional routes affected by geopolitical risks.

Uraloğlu said that Turkiye will continue connectivity projects that increase the country’s logistics capacity and strengthen trade corridors between the Gulf region and Europe.

For Ankara, the U-IMT project is directly linked to this strategy. The development of intermodal rail transport could enhance Turkiye’s role in the transit of goods between Asia and Europe, as well as in connections between the Middle East and the European market.

The European Commissioner for Enlargement’s attendance at the project’s closing meeting was presented by Ankara as a sign of cooperation with the European Union in the field of connectivity.

Uraloğlu thanked Marta Kos for her participation and for her contribution to cooperation between Turkiye and the EU.

For the European Union, support for connectivity projects in Turkiye has a practical goal: the development of safer, more efficient, and less polluting transport routes between Europe and Asia.