The first train jointly operated by the Azerbaijani, Russian, and Iranian railway companies has left  the Finnish capital Helsinki for India’s largest port of Nhava Sheva via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), Caspian News reported.

ADY Container LLC, the Azerbaijani operator of the train, said the pilot project was implemented to assess the transportation results, which could help organize regular cargo deliveries along the corridor.

The INSTC is a 7,200 km (4,474 mi) multimodal network of rail, road, and sea routes. The route is supposed to shorten the length of time it takes to transport cargo between South Asia and Russia and the Baltic Sea area, from six to three weeks.

All countries involved are expected to benefit from the route. Located between Iran and Russia, Azerbaijan will expand its transit potential as a critical hub situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.

Meanwhile, this corridor is believed to become an alternative to traditional intercontinental cargo transportations over time.