ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 22. Kazakhstan will create a large maritime transport and logistics cluster based on the ports of Aktau and Kuryk, Trend reports.
According to the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan, the creation of this cluster is planned as part of a new comprehensive plan for the development of marine infrastructure for 2024–2028.
The document prescribes that work on dredging the waters of the Kuryk port and the construction of a container hub in the port of Aktau will begin this year.
The bulk of the projects will be implemented through private investments, including those planned as part of the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor).
Furthermore, by 2028, it is planned to increase the capacity of ports by 50 percent and increase the passage of containers by three times.
The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern Corridor and Southern Corridor.
The route starts in China and crosses Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then passes through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching Europe.
The Middle Corridor offers a land route that connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe, bypassing the longer maritime routes.