Aktau seaport posted strong first-quarter results in 2024, with total cargo transshipment climbing to over 1.1 million tons—14% above the same period in 2023. The uptick reflects growing demand across multiple commodity segments and a sharp acceleration in containerized traffic along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).
Container throughput reached 7,400 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) during the quarter, a 33% increase year-on-year. Within that total, the TITR corridor accounted for over 6,400 TEU, representing an 85% jump compared to the first three months of last year. The route has emerged as a preferred alternative for shippers seeking connectivity between China, Central Asia, and European markets via the Caspian Sea.
Commodity-level breakdowns show oil and petroleum products as the dominant cargo category, with transshipment volumes surpassing 920,000 tons. Grain shipments totaled 24,000 tons, underscoring the port's continuing role in agricultural export logistics for Kazakhstan and wider Central Asian suppliers.
The growth figures come as Kazakhstan continues positioning Aktau as a critical node in the broader Middle Corridor framework, which spans rail and maritime links connecting Asia to Europe. Officials have cited improved intermodal coordination and increasing vessel frequency as drivers of the higher throughput.