The container train running across Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and China (via Caspian and Black seas) will depart from Illichivsk on January 15 to make a demonstration trip, the press service of the Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine reported late on Tuesday.

"The route is a new branch of the 'Silk Road' and an alternative that would allow redirecting cargo flows in the eastern direction bypassing Russia. It includes ferries on the Black Sea and Caspian Sea (Illichivsk-Batumi and Alat-Aktau-Port) and it will become a competitive route compared to the traditional route by land," the ministry said.

The ministry said that the inclusion of Ukraine into the 'Great Silk Road' was first recorded in the Ukrainian-Chinese interagency protocol.

A technology, the accelerated delivery terms, tariff conditions were agreed and the operators of the train were selected. The demonstration trip will launch the alternative way for delivering cargos from Ukraine to the Middle Asia. The container train would have around 20 wagons.

"Despite the stoppage of goods transit from Ukraine via Russia, the Infrastructure Ministry jointly with Ukrzaliznytsia would continue working on the creation of alternatives to redirect cargo flows in the eastern direction," the ministry said.