During the recent XXXII Plenary Meeting in Moscow, the Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations in India (FFFAI) became a member of the International Coordination Council on Trans-Eurasian Transportation (CCTT). The occasion of the gathering this year was the Council’s 30th anniversary. At this global event, more than 250 participants from departments, businesses, and organisations from 20 Eurasian nations took part, together with leaders and representatives of international associations and organisations. During this summit, more new members from China, South Korea, Iran, and Southeast Asian nations also joined.

The non-commercial Transport Association International Coordinating Council on Trans-Eurasian Transportation (CCTT) is registered in the Main Register of the canton Bern (Switzerland) and has an indefinite lifetime.

In order to lower obstacles to goods movement between Asia and Europe, the Council collaborates with OSJD, UIC, UNECE Inland Transport Committee, CIT, EAEU, UNESCAP, OTIF, WCO, and UPU to develop new technology standards and harmonise transport law.

The introduction of cutting-edge technology through the CCTT helps to expand the capabilities of border crossing locations and the amount of international freight.

Commenting on the importance of this event Chairman, CCTT and General Director – Chairman of the Board of OJSC RZD Mr. O.V. Belozerov said that structural changes in railway transport, the restructuring of transport and logistics chains, the development of multimodality and the building of new intersectoral and international alliances have radically expanded the composition of the Council’s participants. In his opinion, the CCTT principle “cooperation and collaboration for a common result” has repeatedly shown its effectiveness and no alternative at many stages of the development of Euro-Asian transport links.

The CCTT Plenary meet was addressed by the former Minister of Railways of the Russian Federation, former President of OJSC RZD, former Chairman and Secretary General of the Coordination Council on Trans-Siberian Transportation, Advisor to the General Director of OJSC RZD Mr. G.M. Fadeev, Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Mr. V.O. Ivanov, Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Mrs. Armida Salsia Alishakhbana, Deputy Secretary General of the CIS Mr. I.T. Nematov, Member of the Board (Minister) for Energy and Infrastructure of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mr. A.O. Kozhoshev, Chairman of the OSJD Committee Mr. Miroslav Antonovich, Mr. Shankar Shinde, Immediate Past Chairman, FFFAI and other dignitaries.

In his report “The role and tasks of CCTT in the formation of a sustainable logistics system in the Eurasian space: new approaches and effective solutions” CCTT Chairman Mr. O.V. Belozerov summed up the development of Trans-Eurasian transportation for 2022–2023 and outlined the goals and objectives of the Council for the future.

He highlighted the assistance in building a network of mutually complementary Euro-Asian routes, priority attention to multimodality issues, including the CCTT “Multimodal Transport Network ” project, which is being transferred to digital mode starting this year. It is expanding the range of cross-sectoral issues, including in relation to issues of transportation of agricultural cargo and perishable products and expanding partnerships with key participants in the digitization process in transport.

During this ceremony, Mr. Mikhail Yuryevich Goncharov was proposed to succeed Mr. Gennady Bessonov as the CCTT Secretary General, effective June 1, 2024.

Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, Mr. V.O. Ivanov, addressed the assembly and presented the goals for the advancement of the Russian Federation’s transport infrastructure. The growth of transport along the international West-East and North-South transport routes, as well as multimodal lines that pass via the seaports of the Azov-Black Sea region, is, in his opinion, one of the most crucial goals. The development of the western and Trans-Caspian branches of the North-South ITC, as well as new routes connecting Russia and China via the Zabaikalsk and Nizhneleninskoye checkpoints, were also highlighted by him.

In his comprehensive presentation, FFFAI IPC Mr. Shankar Shinde discussed the significance of the International North-South Transport Corridor and its current developments with reference to trade facilitation, encompassing Russia, the CIS, and other nations. He also emphasised the seriousness with which the Government of India and the FFFAI had invested in the construction of Iran’s Chabahar Port in order to establish efficient connection with Russia and the CIS countries, as well as their roles in promoting the INSTC route.

With India’s ratification of the TIR Convention, Mr. Shinde claimed that INSTC volumes are now rising. Iran is now receiving services from regular boats.

A trading deal for Rupee Rials has been struck, and banks have agreed to take part. With volume comes an increase in the presence of logistics service providers. Given the current prospects and risks connected with this approach, insurance coverage is offered.

It is important to note that Russia, Iran, and India are among the founding members of the INSTC route. Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Armenia, Republic of Ukraine, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Republic of Tajikistan, Syria, and Bulgarian (Observer) joined later.

The goal of INSTC is to improve the efficiency of transportation links to coordinate the movement of goods and passengers; to facilitate access to global markets; to support the expansion of transportation capacity; to ensure that goods, travel, and the environment are safe and up to international standards; to harmonise transportation regulations; and to establish nondiscriminatory policies that facilitate smooth transportation. Highlighting the Customs initiatives to facilitate the trade on this route Mr. Shinde pointed out the following aspects:

-To extend 24x 7 clearance facilities with an online system to file for transshipment permission for international operators.

-To have documents forms in English language and trade facilitation cell for professional international interface.

-Effective EDI Implementation with public portal information at Bandar Abbas Terminal for container tracking and movement directly to Road/Rail CY till destination monitoring systems.

INSTC Member Countries along with other regions of CMR implementation to synchronize on commercial transport documentation of Bill of Lading and CMR delivery exchange.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks and applauding the efforts of CCTT in coordination between respective Government bodies and stakeholders for cross border trade facilitation measures.