Armenia considers steps to reduce costs of cargo transportation to Russia bypassing Upper Lars border crossing (EXCLUSIVE)

YEREVAN, August 16. /ARKA/. The Armenian Ministry of Economy in response to a request of ARKA news agency provided details of what is being done to reduce the costs of shipping Armenia-made goods to Russia bypassing the Upper Lars checkpoint on the Georgian-Russian border.

The Ministry of Economy noted that due to various subjective and objective reasons the passage through the Upper Lars checkpoint is regularly closed and for this reason the Armenian government is considering steps to reduce the costs of delivering cargo to Russia via ferries and/or container ships.

"To organize the process, the government has chosen C&M International as the operator, which has already started cargo transportation by sea between Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk and Georgian port of Batumi. The government subsidizes cargo transportation," the ministry said.

As for the current situation, the ministry notes that as a result of joint work and cooperation with Russian and Georgian colleagues, the situation at the Upper Lars checkpoint is currently stable.

The throughput capacity has been enhanced and the number of road lanes through the checkpoint has been increased.

The ministry also reports that as a result of the work that has begun to expand the capacity of the checkpoint, X-ray scanning of cargo is now being carried out, the results of which are used in the procedure of inspections on the Russian side. This, in turn, can speed up cargo clearance procedures.

In June 2023, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) launched a project to enhance transport, logistics and roadside infrastructure at the Upper Lars checkpoint

The Upper y Lars border crossing is currently the sole land route for Armenia facilitating trade and economic connections with other EEU member states. The checkpoint also handles passenger and cargo traffic between Belarus, Georgia, Russia, and Turkey, which has seen substantial growth over the past year.

The project will improve border crossing conditions for drivers and passengers by establishing secure parking areas and improved service infrastructure. These improvements are expected to significantly reduce border crossing times and enhance road safety along this important transport corridor, particularly during the winter months when adverse weather conditions can lead to substantial traffic congestion. -0-