Heavy haulage to Armenia: why the route is half the job
Anyone who needs to move a transformer station, a machine tool or components for a hydropower plant to Armenia faces a double challenge: excess dimensions and weight call for special permits in every transit country – and Armenia itself can only be reached via a handful of corridors. The land borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan are closed, so in practice every road transport from Europe runs through Georgia. Oversize Transports, a brand of HSNK s.r.o., plans and delivers heavy haulage and abnormal load transports of up to 200 tonnes to Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor and project sites across the country – door to door and with a dedicated project manager.
Scope of services for Armenian projects
- Feasibility study of the entire route, including bridge load ratings, clearance heights and mountain passes in the Lesser Caucasus
- Permit management: German road traffic regulations (StVO §29) plus the equivalent permits in every transit country and in Armenia
- Equipment: low-loaders, semi low-bed trailers and modular trailers to suit the load profile
- BF3 / BF4 escort vehicles (German escort classification) on the European leg, escorting under national law in Georgia and Armenia
- Customs and transit handling with T1, TIR carnet or ATA carnet
- Crane and loading coordination at both the collection and the delivery point
How it works: feasibility, permits, transport
Everything starts with the feasibility study: we check the dimensions, weight and centre of gravity of your load against the actual routing – from the factory gate in Europe via Turkey and Georgia through to the unloading point in Armenia. On that basis you receive a fixed-price quote. Once you place the order, we apply for every permit along the route and coordinate escort vehicles and, where required, police escorts. Throughout the transport we are available 24/7 and keep you informed at every border crossing.
Route and transit: via Turkey and Georgia
The proven overland route runs through Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria into Turkey, on across the Sarpi border crossing into Georgia and from there across the border at Bagratashen/Sadakhlo into Armenia. Alternatively, oversize loads can be shipped across the Black Sea to Poti or Batumi and moved on by road from the port. The mountain sections in Georgia and northern Armenia call for a thorough route survey – tight hairpin bends, gradients and tunnel heights determine which vehicle configuration can be used.
Customs: Armenia is an EAEU member
Armenia belongs to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Imports are governed by its customs code and import procedures; clearance normally takes place at an inland customs office in Armenia. For transit we use, depending on the constellation, the T1 transit procedure up to the EU external border and a TIR carnet for the onward leg. For temporary imports – exhibition machinery or construction equipment that will be re-exported, for example – the ATA carnet is often the fastest route. We align the documents (commercial invoice, packing list, transport papers) with all parties before departure so that no waiting times arise at the border.
Sanctions: properly planned instead of risked
The classic northern route through Russia is not an option for many goods: EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus considerably restrict transit and the provision of logistics services. Our Armenian traffic therefore runs entirely via the sanction-free southern route through Turkey and Georgia. As Armenia is an EAEU member, we also review the EU export control and re-export requirements for each shipment; responsibility under export control law rests with the exporter, and we support you with a route-side review and clean documentation.
Typical goods and industries
To Armenia we mainly carry machinery and plant for mining and metallurgy, power generation and hydropower technology, construction equipment and components for infrastructure projects. We quote cost guidance as non-binding ranges – depending on route, weight and permit situation – and fix the price bindingly after the feasibility study.