German logistics company Rhenus and Uzbekistan Railways have signed a memorandum of cooperation to expand transhipment facilities in Uzbekistan.

Part of the new agreement will be aimed at improving capacity to the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand.

The memorandum was signed during the German Government’s Central Asia Summit in Berlin at the end of September 2023.

Uzbekistan Railways is the national carrier of Uzbekistan and features a total length rail track of 7,400km.

Alongside the agreement will be the creation of two joint ventures between Rhenus and Uztemiryulkonteyner, a container-focused subsidiary of Uzbekistan Railways.

Rhenus Group CEO and chairman Tobias Bartz explained how the “new chapter” begun: “This strategic partnership with Uzbekistan Railway opens a new chapter in Rhenus' almost 30-year presence in Central Asian states, a region home to around 94 million people.

“In the years ahead, we expect growing demand for the transportation of containerised goods and commodities that we connect with Europe’s transport networks along the Middle Corridor.”

According to Rhenus, the agreement will expand and operate the combined road-rail terminals in Andijan and Samarkand.

Heinrich Kerstgens, head of the project at the Rhenus Group, added: “Investing in transhipment capacity in the economically emerging regions of Ferghana Valley and Samarkand will allow us and our partner to pursue further long-term transport projects.”

This collaboration will allow the Rhenus Group to extend its activities throughout Asia. The Rhenus Group has companies in Kazakhstan, the southern Caucasus and the Asia-Pacific region.

The Rhenus Group was established in 1912 and currently holds an annual turnover of €8.6bn.