ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 19. The World Bank has determined ten crucial steps that can address the most pressing short-term bottlenecks along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor), Trend reports.
Among 10 critical actions, the World Bank attributed three to Kazakhstan. Thus, the World Bank proposes to Kazakhstan that it create a railway bypass to reduce congestion in the Almaty metro area.
"In Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, all freight trains pass through the city center and must have their locomotives changed from diesel to electric. An urban bypass could improve the flow of this rail traffic," the WB said.
At the same time, in WB's view, the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan border crossing has long wait times. Some companies instead send freight on long, indirect routes that have diversions due to capacity limitations. The creation of a new railway connection between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan will allow cargo owners to take advantage of direct routes.
In addition, the WB noted that the level of the Caspian Sea is dropping due to climate change, affecting port operations.
"The Port of Aktau needs fit-for-purpose equipment and increased berth capacity to improve its operational efficiency. For example, slow ship-to-shore handling can be addressed by deploying the most efficient cranes for each cargo type and by acquiring rail-mounted equipment," the WB said.
Meanwhile, in 2023, the World Bank published a report on the development of the Middle Corridor, according to which a combination of investments and efficiency measures can reduce travel times along the corridor by half and triple trade flows by 2030.
In WB's view, near-term efficiency gains and medium-term investments will strengthen the functioning of the Middle Corridor and harness its potential to invigorate regional trade. This requires steps to improve coordination, logistics, and digitalization, while critical investments are needed to upgrade railways, intermodal facilities, and ports in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan.
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.