The water level drop in the Caspian Sea is a disaster for the countries in the region and will have a greater impact on maritime transport, said transport infrastructure expert Yasin Mustafayev, AzVision.az reports.
Yasin Mustafayev also highlighted that access to ports and the underwater cliffs cause a serious problem for ships because of water withdrawal. "In this case, the East-West corridor is under suspicion", Mustafayev noted.
Mustafayev also stated that the drop in sea level is a natural process and it seems that this problem will worsen. "In this case, Russia's Eurasian Canal project can help us. Russia plans to build a canal from the Black or Azov Sea. It is important not only for the increase in freight traffic but also for water-level balance. The project is estimated to cost several hundred billion dollars. If this project is implemented, the problem will be solved. On the other hand, the realization of this project leaves a question mark over minds as it is quite pricey”.
Although it is difficult to estimate the damage caused by falling sea levels, the volume of the cargo can help us to determine it, Mustafayev added. He also mentioned that the figures are predicted to decrease significantly in the next 10-15 years.
“This problem should be solved not only by Azerbaijan but also by other regional states. If no one does anything, the Caspian Sea will suffer the same consequences as the Aral Sea did," he added.
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