Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is double landlocked - it is one of only two countries in the world where you must cross two borders to reach a coast - and that makes route planning the first conversation rather than the last. EMM moves cargo here mainly by rail from China through Kazakhstan, or through the Caspian corridor, with Bandar Abbas and the Afghan route as alternatives in some circumstances. Rail from the Chinese factory to Tashkent is the normal choice and we quote it as standard.

Cotton into textiles, and a reforming economy

Uzbekistan is one of the world's largest cotton producers and the policy shift since 2017 has been emphatically towards spinning, weaving and garment manufacture at home rather than exporting raw fibre. That has created the most concentrated machinery demand in Central Asia: ginning, baling, spinning frames, open-end and ring spinning, looms, knitting, dyeing and finishing ranges, and industrial sewing and cutting equipment, bought by textile clusters across Tashkent, Fergana, Namangan, Andijan and Bukhara. Gold at Muruntau is among the largest operations anywhere and takes crushing, grinding, leaching, elution and heavy pumping. Gas processing and chemicals buy process plant. Automotive assembly at Asaka buys stamping, welding and handling equipment. Fruit and vegetable processing is a real growth area - drying, juicing, canning, freezing, grading and packing for apricots, grapes, melons and tomatoes - as is wheat flour milling and oilseed crushing. Construction materials have expanded with the building programme.

Certification and climate

Uzbekistan is not an EAEU member but applies its own technical regulation and certification system, with Russian and Uzbek documentation expected, and import liberalisation has made the process considerably more workable than it once was. We confirm the certification route at enquiry. The climate is sharply continental: summers above 40 C in the lowlands with intense dust, winters well below freezing. Both ends of that range need designing for, which means high-ambient ratings and heavy filtration as well as cold-start provision. Electricity runs at 220 V and 380 V, 50 Hz.

Tell us the city and we will quote the rail route from the factory to your siding or terminal.