Cargo flow from China via Trans-Caspian route to increase
Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry hosted the first meeting of the working group on cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route between Kazakhstan and China, Kazinform News Agency reports.
According to the ministry's press service, the sides discussed and agreed on the projected volumes of cargo flow from China along the TITR on from China to Europe and back until the end of 2029. Through joint efforts, the parties are set to raise the volume of transportation along the TITR in 2025-2026 to 600 container trains each year, to 1,000 in 2027, and to 2,000 in 2029.
On top of that, the Kazakh side will take measures to build appropriate infrastructure in the domestic ports to ensure timely transportation of containers and prevention of delays.
Thus, it is projected that at least 50 thousand standard containers will be transshipped per year in 2025. In 2026-2029, this figure is expected to increase to at least 85 thousand containers per year.
“Today we are actively working to ensure transit flows between Europe, Central Asia and China. In 2023, the volume of cargo transportation amounted to 2.76 million tons, which is 65% more than in 2022 (1.7 million tons),” the Kazakh side noted.
Kazakhstan is currently implementing a number of projects on its section of the route, such as the construction of the second track on the Dostyk-Moiynty railway section, Almaty bypass railway, and the new Darbaza-Maktaaral railway line between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Measures are also taken to develop capacity of the Aktau and Kuryk seaports. A container hub is set to be built in the Aktau Port, which will let additionally increase the volume of transportation to 300,000 TEU per year. A grain terminal will be commissioned in the Kuryk Port this year.
Sarzha multifunctional terminal is under construction as well.
The working group expressed confidence that these measures will increase the throughput capacity of Kazakhstan's ports to 30 million tons per year (+ 10 million tons).
