Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 15
By Huseyn Hasanov– Trend:
Turkmenistan is taking steps to ensure the proper operation of the international sea port in the Caspian city of Turkmenbashi, the Turkmen Altyn Asyr TV channel reported.
Chairman of the State Service of Maritime and River Transportation of Turkmenistan Amanmyrat Gurdov presented his report at a government meeting.
It was noted that as a result of commissioning major industrial complexes in the region, increased manufacture of products in demand in global markets, as well as the supply of goods in demand from other parts of Turkmenistan, resulted in the increase in potential for international sea port’s cargo transportation.
In order to enhance trade and economic cooperation between the countries of Asia and Europe, a number of necessary measures are being taken to maximally use the port’s capabilities, including the ferry, passenger, container terminals, as well as shipbuilding and ship repair plants.
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stated that the multimodal logistics park of the port should provide a range of services for the storage and combined handling of container cargoes delivered by air, road and rail, ensuring their transfer to water transport and back.
“It is necessary to envisage an increase in the loading of the port terminals and the expansion of their specialization, which will contribute to increasing the cargo turnover in the water transport sector,” the Turkmen president said.
The solemn ceremony of opening of this port took place on May 2, 2018. The project was developed in accordance with the international "Greenport" standard.
The annual capacity of the port will be 17-18 million tons. Together with the previously operating port, this figure will be 25-26 million tons.
The international ferry and passenger port will be able to serve 300,000 passengers and 75,000 trailers a year. The container terminal has an average annual capacity of 400,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units). The cost of the project implemented by Gap Insaat Company (Turkey) is more than $1.5 billion.
With the commissioning of the new Caspian Sea port, great opportunities have appeared for sending the cargo arriving in Turkmenbashi through the Silk Road route from Asia and the Pacific, and further to European countries through the ports of Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran.