Attractiveness and Prospects of the Middle Corridor for Cargo Transportation Between Europe and Asia

Currently, there is an urgent need for an alternative route that would ensure safer and faster freight transport between China and Europe amidst increasing global tensions and trade conflicts. The Middle Corridor can be considered as such a route. The Asian Development Bank's Time-Cost-Distance methodology was used as the basis for assessing the Middle Corridor. The calculation of the Logistic Performance Index (LPI) helped to identify the main challenges which face this corridor. The future value method was used to evaluate potential road construction projects across the Caspian See. By comparison this corridor with the Northern Corridor and the Maritime Corridor, this article demonstrates its role as the shortest and relatively safe route between China and Europe and analyses its prospects. The importance of the Middle corridor will steadily increase due to geopolitical circumstances, as well as more favorable geographic and climatic conditions compared to the Northern corridor. The article examines the current situation regarding the further development of this corridor, measures taken by various participants, assesses their consequences, and also proposes the construction of a semi-submersible floating bridge in the event of an increase in cargo flows in the future, when this will be justified from the point of view of traffic safety, ecology and economic efficiency.