In November, China launched a rail service to Hairatan, an Afghan border town close to Uzbekistan. Trains have been reaching Afghanistan by transiting Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan first. Now, China has found a route to Afghanistan from an entirely new direction, also using rail as a major modality.
As part of the new service, China sent 1,000 tonnes of steel coils by ship to Iran’s Bandar Abbas port. From there, trains took the shipment to Rozanak station in Afghanistan’s Herat province.
A spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Public Works emphasises that this new route bolsters Afghanistan’s transit connectivity and its access to open waters. It also reflects progress in regional transport and transit development, say Afghan media.
Economic opportunities
More opportunities may be just around the corner for Afghanistan’s economy, according to the spokesperson. He highlighted the completion of the Khaf (Iran) – Herat railway will provide a solid foundation for expanding trade and transit across the region.