Dredging works aimed at improving navigational safety and increasing the capacity of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) are continuing at Kazakhstan’s Aktau seaport, Qazinform News Agency has learned from the Kazakh Ministry of Transport. The project’s general contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., has already completed geodetic surveys and analyzed the resulting data, paving the way for the next stage of the project.
Preparations are underway for the start of dredging operations, including the mobilization of specialized vessels and equipment. Meanwhile, construction of a containment dam at the reclamation site has reached 680 meters of its planned 785-meter length. The main phase of dredging is expected to begin in the second half of July and conclude by the end of 2026.
Upon completion, the port’s navigable depth will reach 6–7 meters, allowing vessels to carry full loads and boosting the efficiency of cargo handling. The project is poised to become an important driver of the TITR’s growth, with the corridor’s capacity projected to rise from 6 million to 10 million tons by 2028.
This expansion will further cement Kazakhstan’s status as a key transport and logistics link between East and West. During the first five months of 2026, container traffic on the China-Europe route via the TITR increased by 30%. Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry had announced the launch of a digital system to exchange international road transport permits with Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Kyrgyzstan.