ALMATY (KTZ press service) — The opportunities of Kazakhstan’s port infrastructure are presented at the international conference in Tashkent Central Asia in the system of international transport corridors: strategic prospects and unrealized opportunities.

As noted in the press release, the deputy chairman of the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) board, Sanjar Elyubayev, informed the participants of the conference about the implementation of projects on the development of the Euro-Asian transport corridors. According to him, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TCITR) is an important link in the Eurasian transport system.

In order to coordinate the activities of railway, port administrations and logistics operators on the TCITR route, an international association of the same name was created, which includes railways, ferry operators and port administrations of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Romania.

“We suggest that the Uzbek side consider becoming a member of the association and take part in the development of the Trans-Caspian corridor”, S. Elyubayev said. According to him, the main infrastructure facilities in the logistics chain of the Eurasian transport system are the Khorgos-Eastern Gate, the ports of Aktau and Kuryk in Kazakhstan, Alat and Baku in Azerbaijan, Poti, Batumi and Anaklia in Georgia, Constanta in Romania, Chernomorsk and Izov in Ukraine. “The opening of the new railway line Baku-Tbilisi-Kars has given an additional impetus to this project and opens access to Turkey and the countries of Southern Europe with further access to the Mediterranean”, S. Elyubayev noted.

He also stressed that the development of the Kazakhstan logistics hub on the Caspian Sea and the ports of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey provides speed and technological linkage in multimodal transport. “The project of the northern extension of the Aktau port was implemented on the Kazakh coast of the Caspian Sea, which increased the capacity of the Aktau port to 19.5 mln tons per year. The multimodal complex of Kuryk port with capacity of processing of cargoes up to 7 mln tons per year was constructed and included in the network of international transport corridors. In general, the capacity of the Kazakhstan logistics hub in the Caspian is 26 mln tons per year. The shortest traffic flow between the countries of Central Asia, China, the Caucasus, Turkey and Europe is ensured”, the press release recalled.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor) runs from China through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and further through Turkey or Ukraine - to Europe. Last October, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Georgia signed an agreement on the establishment of an international association TCITR, whose office is located in Astana. Later, Turkey became a permanent member of the association, and its associated members became Polish and Chinese companies. In addition, the route was joined by the largest Romanian logistics operator. The association’s activities are aimed at attracting transit and foreign trade cargo, as well as developing integrated logistics products along the TCITR route.

According to the Kazakh side, the potential for growth in trade turnover in the TCITR region ranges from $646 bln to $922 bln by 2020, which is equivalent to 300,000 containers in cargo capacity.