KTZ Express JSC joined a high-level delegation led by Kazakhstan's Minister of Transport Maksim Karabayev during a five-day business trip spanning May 14 to 18, 2024, aimed at strengthening freight cooperation along the Middle Corridor route through the Baltic states.
The delegation touched down first in Latvia, where Karabayev held bilateral talks with Latvian Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens. The Kazakh team toured the Freeport of Riga and received briefings on the ongoing Rail Baltica construction project—a flagship infrastructure initiative linking the Baltic states to Western European rail networks. A transport cooperation business forum convened in Riga's capital, where Ulugbek Orazov, KTZ Express Deputy CEO for Commerce, outlined the company's current logistics capabilities within the Middle Corridor framework and highlighted opportunities for leveraging Baltic infrastructure capacity.
Estonia and Lithuania Engagement
The itinerary then moved to Estonia, where officials met with Climate Minister Kristen Michal. The delegation toured Muuga Port—Estonia's largest commercial seaport—and visited the BLRT shipbuilding facility to assess the country's maritime industrial base. Estonian logistics operators represent key potential partners for diversifying cargo routes feeding into Kazakhstan's overland transport corridors.
In Lithuania, the delegation engaged with Transport Minister Marius Skuodis and examined pilot training programs operated by Avia Solution Group, an aviation services provider. The visit also included a site tour of Girteka, one of Europe's largest logistics companies, signaling Lithuania's role as a major cargo handling hub along Central Asian to European supply chains.
Infrastructure Investment Opportunities
According to KTZ Express, the series of negotiations conducted throughout the Baltic visit are expected to lay groundwork for increasing the Middle Corridor's throughput capacity. The strategy involves attracting investment from Baltic-based entities into joint infrastructure projects serving the route, which runs through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, and onward to European markets via Black Sea or overland connections.
The Middle Corridor has gained increasing attention as shippers seek alternatives to northern routes affected by geopolitical disruptions, positioning Central Asian transit states to capture higher freight volumes if corridor infrastructure and intermodal coordination continue improving.