Analysis of existing transport network between Turkey and Russia and development of multi modal transport system alternatives

The importance of transportation networks has increased in relation with the increase of global trade, and this has resulted in strengthening the existence of more efficient, sustainable and eco-friendly transport systems as multimodal, intermodal and combined transports. Traffic jams at highways, increased accidents, noise, cross border problems, decreasing energy resources and increasing environmental problems of the recent years have drown the countries to the sustainable transportation policy by optimal transport services using the advantages of each transport modes. In increasing competitive conditions international transportation operators who try to provide better services to their customers are using the transport alternatives like multimodal transport newly developed by transport services providers in changing requirements conditions. At the same time new trends that have been developed in transport sector in relation with the increase of inter regional and international trade have become the necessity which emerged for better services in new cargo and passenger traffic. Assessment of the multimodal transport system alternatives that serves / will serve the trade between Turkey and Russia has been carried out in this study. In the scope of this study five different multimodal transport routes have been determined in the sphere of natural stones export from Turkey to Russia and various assessments have been carried out in order to be able to choose the most optimal choice of those routes. Three different methods which are multimodal transport cost models; goal programming and AHP have been used to provide a solution that will be helpful for the choice of optimal route. Keywords: Multi Modal Transport, Russian Federation, Turkish Natural Stones Sector, AHP, Goal Programming.