London (IRNA) -- Cargoes moving between the main markets in Europe, Scandinavia, the CIS, Russia, and Iran are increasingly using the Astara Transit Terminal, on the border between Azerbaijan and Iran, as a favored route.

Advance International originally headquartered in London, arranges the forwarding of Iranian glass shipments by truck to the terminal and then by rail to various destinations in the Commonwealth of Independence States (CIS).
Until this switch, 40 percent of manufactured glass shipments were damaged, as there are many transshipment points and different modes of transport, which increase the likelihood of breakages, said Jawad Kamel Advance International president.
""Now, the same shipments via the Astara Transit Terminal, can be delivered from the Iranian factory to final destination in just 5 days and with only one transshipment,"" Kamel said.
Previously, it took up to 10 weeks in winter or 50 days in summer.
A further advantage of Astara Terminal, which is a member of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industries, is the export of all types of cargoes by road to Astara and from Astara by rail to Russia and all other CIS and European countries.
Advance, which is now based in Istanbul, said the previous main supply corridor by rail from Western Europe to Iran was disrupted by the Azerbaijan-Armenia dispute, forcing cargoes to be re-routed whether by sea to the Persian Gulf or by road via Turkey.
""All of these alternatives are either more costly or not as efficient for shippers in Iran which are crying out for more freight capacity on routes to and from Europe,"" said Kamel.
""The new Astara Transit Terminal heralds the return of a vital Central Asian transport artery giving shippers faster transit times, as well as more direct and secure service,"" he said.
The terminal, which was redeveloped and reopened on the Caspian Sea last year, is reportedly also proving its worth to Iranian importers.
It is also being used as a transit for exports to Iraq.
Sumy Frunze, one of the world's largest manufacturers of equipment for the oil, gas, and chemical industries, has engaged Advance International to move gas-pumping stations, from Ukraine to Iran for two of eight gas pipelines that are to be built in Iran.
Every 5 days, two trains transport the equipment via rail from the Sumy manufacturing plant in Ukraine to the Astara Transit Terminal.
The terminal handles all types of cargo, including break bulk, 20 feet and 40 feet containers (including heavy lift) and outsize cargoes up to 120 tons, within the rail-loading gauge