ASTANA – Kazakhstan has launched a major dredging project at the Aktau seaport to increase cargo throughput on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), known as the Middle Corridor, and strengthening the country’s role as a key transport and logistics hub linking Asia and Europe.
Photo credit: Transport Ministry. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times. The project, being implemented by China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., has entered the preparatory stage. Geodetic surveys have been completed, while specialized dredging equipment and machinery are being mobilized to the site.
Construction of a protective dam is also progressing in the reclamation area, with 680 meters of fill completed out of a planned 785 meters, reported the Transport Ministry’s press service on June 24. The main dredging works are scheduled to begin in the second half of July and are expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Once finished, the maximum draft in the port’s waters will increase to 6-7 meters, allowing vessels to operate at full load capacity and improving cargo-handling efficiency. The expansion is expected to support further growth of the TITR, whose annual capacity is planned to increase from 6 million to 10 million tons by 2028.
In January-May, container volumes on the TITR between China and Europe increased by 30%.