The silk road was the original over land trade network from China to the middle East, Africa and Europe. It was active for many centuries from around the 2nd century BCE until the 18th century. Utilizing pack animals, it was a very slow and unreliable logistical method. For the people taking these routes, there were many dangers from accident, injury, murder, starvation, dehydration or tribal raiders.

Since these days sea freight increasingly became the cargo transport method of choice.

Today, the vast majority of European freight from China is shipped from Chinese ports through the South China Sea, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Suez Canal and onward to the intended European destination.

Until February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, most of the relatively small amount of land freight from China to Europe went along the Northern Corridor. This is a mainly rail freight route through Russia. The war in Ukraine and the recent problems in the Red Sea has increased interest in developing an alternative way.

The Middle Corridor is a little used and underdeveloped route that takes cargo over land and sea from China to Europe through Kazakhstan, Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey (Türkiye).

The conflicts and geopolitical problems in Ukraine and the Red Sea are making the Middle Corridor in to a potentially significant trade route. Traffic has sharply increased recently causing bottlenecks, especially at country borders

Large scale development is necessary for the roads to handle sizeable capacities.

There have been periodical improvements earlier this century. However, to become a major cargo route, there would need to be multi country agreements and massive coordinated investments.

With their different laws and regulations, each country involved would need to create a collaborative agreement. This would likely require an organisation to be created that would oversee and monitor the entire route from the Chinese border in to Europe.

About The Author
Mike Oday
Chewells Contributor

Mike has been heavily involved in the marine environment all his life. From learning to sail as... »

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