Gyumri dry port draws interest from Hamburg

PanARMENIAN.Net - Speaking to reporters in Hamburg, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan summarized the outcomes of his visit to Germany, highlighting developments in Armenian-German economic cooperation and future prospects.

He revealed that the Port of Hamburg has renewed its interest in the project to create a “dry port” in Gyumri, Armenpress reports.

“They reaffirmed their interest today, which has grown even stronger under current regional conditions,” Pashinyan said.

He also noted that the European Union plans to develop routes for exporting green hydrogen from Central Asia and the South Caucasus to its territory.

“As a result of the visit, we realized we must give serious attention to this sector. The good news is that a while ago — maybe last year or earlier — I set up a working group to explore green hydrogen production. Following my previous visit, an agreement was reached for that group to cooperate with the German company Fichtner.”

Pashinyan added that Armenia’s solar energy sector has grown significantly. “Solar plants now generate three times more power than our nuclear plant. But it’s crucial we develop storage systems because while solar energy is great, there’s no sun at night. We need to store daytime energy for nighttime use. That would greatly contribute to our energy independence.”

The Prime Minister also noted that discussions included the Trump Route project and the economic opportunities that could emerge under a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

He emphasized that trains are currently operating through Azerbaijani territory to Armenia.

“We discussed our expectations for progress on opening the Armenia-Turkey border as well,” Pashinyan said.

The Gyumri dry port project was first announced in 2021. In 2023, Dutch company MTBS prepared a feasibility study. Armenia’s Investment Committee approved it in 2024, and construction was scheduled to begin in the second half of 2024, though no visible progress has been made so far.