Armenia has been unable to decide on the timeframe of the implementation of the "Dry Port" and industrial complex construction project in Gyumri for more than a year now. The starting date of this project has again been put off indefinitely.

In December 2023, it became known that the Dutch international consulting company MTBS had prepared the feasibility study (FS) for this "Dry Port." And construction work was supposed to begin in the second half of 2024.

In response to a written request from Sputnik Armenia, the Ministry of Economy of Armenia stated that currently, in addition to the FS, a feasibility plan and a roadmap for this project have been developed.

"Negotiations are also ongoing with a number of international organizations, including the Asian Development Bank, as well as organizations implementing similar projects in the Middle Eastern countries (UAE, Iraq, and Qatar), in order to attract potential investors and select an operator," the ministry added.

Also, the ministry does not rule out possible changes to the project, including in terms of timeframe. It is noted that the implementation of this project will contribute to Armenia’s economic growth, the creation of new jobs, as well as the increasing of the country’s exports.

The “Dry Port” project envisages the creation of a logistics center, an industrial zone, and a free-trade zone—with warehouses—in Gyumri, the second-largest city in Armenia. This will enable goods and cargo to be transported in any direction using both air and rail transport.