Kazakhstan, Astana, Jan.14 / Trend , K.Konyrova /
Kazakhstan decided to suspend the construction of a breakwater in the Aktau port, Kazakh Minister of Transport and Communications Abelgazy Kusainov said while speaking at an enlarged board meeting with Kazak Prime Minister Karim Masimov's participation.
"A pier has been put into operation in a northern direction and operations on the construction of breakwater are underway as part of the project of expansion of the Aktau port. Changes in market situation and the main routes of oil transportation necessitated suspending its further implementation. Currently, changing the objective of the project is under study," the minister said.
Kusainov reminded that 9.5 billion tenge have been already spent. Kazakh tankers have transported more than half of the amount of oil transshipped through the Aktau port, he added.
Major problem on water transport is underdeveloped service infrastructure (about 80 percent of Kazakhstan's vessels are forced to conduct repair at shipyards of the Caspian states), and we see the solution of this problem within the projects included in the program of forced industrial-innovative development for 2010-2014," he said.
Kusainov said 9 projects with the total estimated value of 16.5 billion tenge will be implemented on water transport.