Türkiye’s land, rail routes gain edge as Middle East tensions choke global sea lanes

By Mertkan Oruc

ANKARA (AA) — Escalating regional conflicts in the Middle East have severed traditional global routes, bringing the spotlight to the Türkiye-centered Middle Corridor and the emerging Development Road routes in global logistics.

The Russia-Ukraine war rendered the Northern Corridor unsafe, while the global attention shifted to the south, only to be met with joint US and Israeli attacks on Iran, triggering Tehran to close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation.

The systemic risks of relying too heavily on vulnerable sea routes have become apparent in these turbulent times, forcing the global trade network to shift its focus to Turkey's stable land and rail alternatives.

The Middle Corridor connects China and European countries via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye, reducing delivery times between Europe and Asia to 15 days. Türkiye's central role in the trade route makes the country the very backbone of trade, directly connecting 21 countries.

The Development Road project, on the other hand, is a land and rail transport deal spearheaded by Iraq, Türkiye, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The project promises to facilitate trade volumes from Iraq's Grand Faw Port directly through Türkiye and into Europe.

- Strategic diversification and new balances

Bulent Aksoy, head of the Turkic world research center at Ankara-based Gazi University, told Anadolu that the Middle Corridor boasts advantages over its northern and southern counterparts, especially due to reducing around 2,000 kilometers (1,242.7 miles) off the journey, which also slashes transport time and freight costs.

Aksoy said the seamless integration of these trade networks provides the opportunity to transform Türkiye from a "transit state to a multidimensional logistics and energy superpower."

Resul Yalcin, associate professor of international relations at Ankara University, told Anadolu that the sudden transport halt in the Persian Gulf shows how such overreliance on strategic straits inevitably leads to dangerous bottlenecks in global supply chains.

He added that alternative land-rail routes like the Middle Corridor have grown from conveniences to essentials, as redundant but resilient pathways provide the vital economic flexibility and risk distribution during turbulent times.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim