Alexander Murychev: The Transit Potential of the Eurasian Economic Union Requires a "Dual Focus" on Global Trends and Internal Integration
On March 19, 2026, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE) convened a meeting of the RUIE Integration Council for Cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), co-chaired by Alexander Murychev, RUIE Vice President and Chairman of the FBA EAC Board, and Alexey Grom, General Director of OTLK ERA. The primary focus of the meeting, conducted in a hybrid format and attended by leaders in the transportation industry, was the discussion of the "Transport and Logistics 2026 strategy: Integration by Transit."
Opening the meeting, Alexander Murychev outlined the conceptual framework for the discussion, emphasizing the infeasibility of developing strategies in isolation from global and domestic market dynamics.
"A comprehensive strategy requires a dual focus," stated the co-chair. "It is imperative to possess a clear understanding of both the development trajectories of the domestic market and the global economy, as well as their potential intersections."
Participants noted that the Eurasian continent continues to be the central hub of global container trade, accounting for 70-75% of all international container transportation. Trade volumes between Europe, Southeast Asia, and China, are estimated at 22-24 million TEU. These figures underscore the necessity for a reevaluation of cooperation approaches within the EAEU. Arzybek Kozhoshev, Minister for Energy and Infrastructure at the EEC, also addressed this issue in his remarks.
Alexey Grom presented the OTLK ERA's vision, advocating for a "Shift Integration" strategy that transitions from intense competition to collaborative efforts among participating countries. The Eurasian Railway Alliance, which integrates the efforts of three member states, serves as a successful model of such integration.
Alexey Shilov, Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, reaffirmed the commitment to the objectives outlined in Presidential Decree No. 309, aimed at increasing traffic along international transport corridors by at least 1.5 times by 2030. Particular emphasis was placed on the development of infrastructure in strategic regions such as the Far East, the Arctic, the Azov-Black Sea region, and the North-South Transport Hub. Updating of the Transport Strategy until 2050, aligned with the principles of the Greater Eurasia Partnership, was also highlighted.
Digitalization is envisioned as a key driver of operational efficiency. Beginning on September 1, 2026, the GIS EPD (electronic transport document) system will become mandatory for road, rail, and air transport. During the discussion, it was noted that the system has processed 33 million documents to date, with a monthly increase of 2 million. The Russian initiative to reduce document signing time to one minute is planned to be extended to the entire EAEU. Registries for freight forwarders have also been established, with the road freight carrier registry set to become operational in March 2027.
Geopolitical instability, including events in the Persian Gulf, has resulted in a doubling of shipping rates and prompted global players such as CMA to reroute shipments to land. In these conditions, the council members stressed the need to develop sovereign and secure transportation routes.
A proposal was put forth to collaborate between Russian, Kazakh, and Belarusian companies to create a unified transportation network. The preparation of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) is anticipated to be presented to the heads of railway administrations in the EAEU countries at upcoming meetings in St. Petersburg.
A dedicated session was devoted to the development of specialized agrologistics. Dmitry Antonov, Chairman of the Food Market Committee of the EAEU Business Council, highlighted critical figures: exports to 75 countries, the supply of 50,000 tons of frozen products to the EAEU, and 2 million tons of grain. The importance of synchronizing processing capacities with transport infrastructure and implementing "customs green corridors" was underscored. The establishment of a working group on agrologistics within the Public Council of the Ministry of Transport was initiated.
In conclusion, Alexander Murychev emphasized the urgency of capitalizing on current opportunities through route optimization, equitable revenue distribution, and technological advancement.
The participants agreed to continue their work within the framework of the TransRussia-2026 exhibition and conference. Additionally, they committed to consolidate all received proposals for further consideration by the RUIE Integration Council. The recent resurgence of the container market, evidenced by a 1.5% increase in transit in March, instills confidence that collective efforts will not only meet 2024 targets but also solidify the EAEU's role as a key link in the evolving Eurasian trade architecture.