Azerbaijan reports record transport volumes and copper output in early 2026

In the period January‑May 2026, Azerbaijan moved 13.5 million tonnes of cargo through its transport corridors: 6.16 Mt by rail (45.5% share), 2.65 Mt by sea (19.6%) and 4.73 Mt by road (34.9%). Rail freight rose 3.3% and road freight 5.9% compared with the same period a year earlier, while sea shipments fell 13.3%. The figures follow a series of multimillion‑dollar investments in rail lines, ports and logistics hubs such as the Baku International Sea Trade Port, the Baku‑Tbilisi‑Kars railway and the Alat Free Economic Zone. "Azerbaijan’s transport infrastructure investments are bearing fruit, strengthening its role as a reliable transit gateway between Europe and Asia," said Umberto de Pretto, Secretary‑General of the International Road Transport Union.

During January‑June 2026, copper concentrate production rose sharply to 8,831 t, a 642.9% increase over the previous year, driven by expanded output at the Dəmirli mine operated by Anglo Asian Mining. The company reported 5,129 t of copper in the second quarter alone, while overall half‑year production reached 8,840 t. By contrast, gold output fell 17.8% to 1,317 kg and silver 6.9% to 1,808 kg. Anglo Asian Mining posted $125.9 million revenue from 58,577 t of concentrate sold, with cash balances of $69.8 million and net cash of $57.6 million, and reaffirmed its 2026 forecast of 20‑25 kt copper, 28‑33 k oz gold and 170‑210 k oz silver.