BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 10. Uzbekistan is stepping up efforts to turn Navoi International Airport into a regional air cargo hub, seeking to capitalize on the rapid growth of air freight and strengthen its position in logistics between Asia and Europe.
The country’s air cargo market has expanded significantly in recent years. Cargo volumes increased by 182% between 2019 and 2024, while Uzbekistan’s airports handled approximately 98,000 tons of cargo in 2025. The volume rose by another 33% in the first half of 2026, according to the Ministry of Transport.
The government aims to increase the country’s annual air cargo volume to 300,000 tons by 2036. One of the projects expected to contribute to this goal is the development of Navoi International Airport, which is being positioned as a multimodal logistics center connecting air, rail and road transport.
The changing global trade environment is also shaping Uzbekistan's approach to transport development. Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 5, 2026, Mirziyoyev noted that “transportation routes are changing, new supply chains are being formed, modern technological platforms are emerging, and artificial intelligence is being deployed across industries.”
Navoi airport takes center stage in cargo strategy
Navoi’s development has become a priority under the government’s broader efforts to expand the country’s aviation and logistics capacity.
A presidential resolution adopted on February 9, 2026, set specific targets for the airport by 2030. These include increasing annual flights to 7,000, passenger traffic to 150,000 and cargo transportation to 45,000 tons. The document also provides for greater management autonomy, allowing the airport to negotiate directly with domestic and foreign airlines on cargo transportation, transit, and technical landings.
The development program includes modernizing existing cargo infrastructure, expanding fuel storage facilities and introducing additional aviation services. Plans also envisage establishing an aircraft maintenance, repair and painting center by the end of 2028.
Mirziyoyev has stressed the importance of integrating traditional transport infrastructure with modern technological systems.
“To firmly secure this growing trend, we urgently need connectivity of a fundamentally new level. This involves not only linking traditional transport, logistics and energy corridors, but also integrating digital, payment and industrial infrastructure,” he said at the same forum.
The resolution provides for the construction of an additional 16,000-square-meter cargo terminal if existing capacity is fully utilized and demand justifies further expansion. This makes attracting new airlines and cargo operators, rather than simply increasing infrastructure, a key part of the airport’s immediate development challenge.
Navoi already has a substantial cargo-handling facility. According to the airport’s official website, its terminal can process up to 100,000 tons of cargo annually and has a warehouse complex covering 16,800 square meters. It also offers facilities for handling perishable, frozen, dangerous, and valuable goods, as well as multimodal services connecting air, rail, and road transport.
However, the gap between available capacity and actual cargo volumes highlights the scale of the task ahead.
The airport’s published statistics show that its terminal handled approximately 8,791 tons of cargo in 2025, including loaded, unloaded, and transit shipments. This is roughly 9% of its stated annual handling capacity. While the figures indicate considerable room for growth, they also suggest that Navoi’s priority will be to secure regular cargo flows and attract customers capable of making better use of its existing facilities.
International partnerships seek to attract new cargo flows
Attracting international airlines and logistics companies is central to Navoi’s strategy.
On April 11, 2026, CMA CGM Air Cargo made a technical landing at Navoi International Airport during a flight connecting Hong Kong and Paris. The development was presented as part of efforts to strengthen the airport’s role in international cargo transportation. Plans for 11 weekly flights across the Hong Kong-Navoi-Paris and Hong Kong-Navoi-Brussels routes were also reported. These should be viewed as planned services rather than evidence that the full schedule is already operating.
Another initiative involves Hong Kong-based Harvest Epoch Strategic Investment Limited. The airport and the company signed a strategic alliance agreement in September 2026, followed by a roadmap outlining the next stages of cooperation.
Under the roadmap, the partners are preparing the airport’s ground-handling services, aircraft refueling systems, warehouse facilities and customs procedures. The first test cargo flights are scheduled to begin in December 2026. The cooperation aims to attract airlines, e-commerce companies and logistics operators, with the shared objective of increasing Navoi’s annual cargo throughput to 45,000 tons by 2030.
Such partnerships could help the airport develop more than a transit function. E-commerce shipments, express deliveries, temperature-sensitive goods and industrial cargo offer opportunities to build regular demand and diversify the types of freight handled at Navoi.
Customs and multimodal infrastructure could strengthen competitiveness
Infrastructure alone is unlikely to determine whether Navoi can become a regional cargo hub. Customs procedures, handling costs, operational reliability and connections to other transport networks will also influence airlines’ and logistics companies’ decisions.
In October 2026, a free customs zone, known as Porto-Franco, was opened at Navoi International Airport. Under the regime, goods can be brought into the zone and stored without immediate customs payments, while processing and import, export and transit operations can be carried out in accordance with the applicable customs framework.
The initiative is intended to make the airport more attractive to international logistics operators by providing additional flexibility for cargo storage and handling.
The airport’s existing infrastructure also allows it to combine air freight with rail and road transportation. This is particularly relevant for a landlocked country seeking to improve access to international markets and diversify its transport routes.
Mirziyoyev has emphasized the importance of developing connectivity beyond traditional transport corridors. At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June, he called for the integration of transport, logistics, digital, payment, and industrial infrastructure. Such an approach is relevant to Navoi’s plans, as the airport’s long-term potential depends not only on aircraft movements but also on how efficiently cargo can be transferred to other modes of transport.
Can Navoi compete for regional cargo flows?
Navoi has several advantages, including its location between major Asian and European markets, existing cargo-handling facilities, and the possibility of integrating air, rail, and road transportation. However, these factors alone do not guarantee that airlines will establish regular services or that freight forwarders will choose the airport over competing regional gateways.
One of the main challenges is building a stable cargo base. Airlines typically consider route demand, flight frequency, fuel prices, handling charges, customs clearance times, and the availability of onward connections when selecting cargo hubs.
The relatively low volume handled at Navoi in 2025, compared with its stated capacity, illustrates why attracting regular operators and cargo owners will be essential. The airport will need to demonstrate that its services are commercially competitive and that shipments can be processed and transferred reliably.
Another consideration is the need to develop a distinct role within Uzbekistan’s aviation network. Tashkent remains the country’s main aviation gateway, while Navoi could focus on cargo operations, technical services, aircraft maintenance, and selected long-haul freight routes. Developing complementary functions could help avoid duplication and make better use of infrastructure across the country.
The expansion of e-commerce and demand for faster delivery services may create additional opportunities. However, turning these trends into sustainable cargo volumes will require long-term agreements with airlines, logistics companies and major shippers, rather than relying solely on announced projects.
Air cargo as another pillar of Uzbekistan’s logistics strategy
Uzbekistan’s efforts to develop Navoi reflect a broader ambition to strengthen its position in international transportation and logistics. The country is pursuing growth across several modes of transport, including rail, road and aviation, as it seeks to diversify trade routes and improve access to global markets.
The TransLogistica Uzbekistan 2026 forum, scheduled for November 10–12, provides an opportunity for industry participants to discuss transport infrastructure, logistics services and international cooperation.
For Navoi, the next stage will be measured less by the scale of announced ambitions than by the volume of cargo it can attract and handle. Reaching the government’s target of 45,000 tons annually by 2030 would require a substantial increase from the airport’s reported 2025 throughput.
The airport already has infrastructure and a policy framework to support its development. Its ability to become a regional logistics hub, however, will ultimately depend on securing regular flight operations, attracting international cargo operators and establishing reliable connections between air freight and other transport networks.
