Black Sea Caravan drives progress

Belgrade – The Black Sea Ring Highway Caravan today started its journey of some 7,500 km from Belgrade to Istanbul, through the 12 BSEC Member States around the Black Sea Basin. This international commercial truck caravan, composed of 12 vehicles from BSEC Members States, should reach its arrival point in by the end of May 2007.

Initiated by the BSEC Organisation, supported by the BSEC Member Governments and organised jointly by the IRU and BSEC-URTA, in cooperation with IRU Member associations and other national road transport organisations, the objectives of this public-private partnership are to:

• promote road transport facilitation across the BSEC region,
• collect en route data, such as border waiting times, procedures and charges as well as visa requirements in the BSEC region,
• examine the infrastructure all along the official Black Sea Ring Highway routes.

After the signature today by BSEC Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Coordinated Development of the Black Sea Ring Highway, Vuk Draskovic, BSEC Chairman-in-office and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, declared, “We, the BSEC countries, are aware of the key role of road transport in trade and prosperity among the Member States. The MoU we signed today and this Caravan will mark a new episode in the building of a future modern, integrated and liberal BSEC transport market.”

The Secretary General of the BSEC Organisation, Ambassador Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos, emphasised, “Signature of the MoU on the Black Sea Ring Highway inaugurates the project oriented era of the BSEC Organization. The Black Sea Ring Highway Caravan consisting of 12 trucks from each Member State will promote this highway to our people and at the same time gather information for more efficient road transport to offer a brighter future for our children and grandchildren.”

IRU Secretary General, Martin Marmy, added, “In a globalised economy, road transport has become a vital production tool. Only with effective road transport will BSEC countries better connect their economies to each other and the world. IRU is, therefore, fully supporting your efforts, which will also pave the way to re-vitalising the Great Silk Road between Europe and Asia.“

BSEC-URTA President, Vladimir Florea, concluded, “By identifying all obstacles to efficient goods transport between BSEC countries and around the Black Sea basin, from visas for professional drivers to loading permits, the caravan will significantly contribute to the facilitation of road transport in the region.”

Coming soon, the official Caravan’s website at www.BlackSeaCaravan.org !

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