Astana, Kazakhstan, May 23
By Daniar Mukhtarov - Trend:
Kazakhstan intends to increase the transit of goods from China to the EU via its territory.
"There is a task to ensure the re-orientation of a part of cargo traffic via the China-EU route and bring the share of these transportations to five percent by 2020 and to 10 percent by 2030, in order to attract transit cargo flow via Kazakhstan's territory," according to Zhenis Kasymbek, Kazakh Minister of Transport and Communications.
Kasymbek made the remarks on May 22 speaking at the 9th TransEurasia-2014 International Conference on Transport and Transit Potential.
He said that the mentioned tasks will be achieved through the development of infrastructure and creation of favourable conditions for transit.
Today, Kazakh transit share in the EU-China-EU trade turnover is less than 0.1 percent. Cargo turnover between China and Europe is 11.7 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) or 120-150 million tonnes.
The untapped potential of cargo transportations to the EU-China-EU stands at 1.5 million TEU (15-20 million tonnes).
The minister also said five international transport corridors run through Kazakhstan.
These are the two corridors (north and south) of the Trans-Asian Railway, the Central Asian Corridor, the 'North-South' corridor and TRACECA.
Edited by S.I.