Construction is actively advancing on a modern container hub at Aktau Port on the Caspian Sea coast of Kazakhstan, a project designed to significantly expand the port's cargo handling capacity and reinforce transcontinental rail-sea logistics along the Middle Corridor.
Once completed, the facility is expected to raise Aktau's annual throughput to 240,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), a substantial leap from current levels and a figure that reflects the growing demand for containerized cargo movement across the Caspian basin.
Site preparation and earthworks
Land clearing across a 24-hectare area has already been finalized, with more than 313,000 tons of fill soil transported to the construction site to establish stable foundations for the hub's infrastructure. Vertical planning—grading and leveling work required to prepare the terrain for structural development—is now 65% complete.
The pace of work is sustained by a fleet exceeding 100 units of specialized heavy equipment deployed across the project zone. Construction crews operate in two 12-hour shifts around the clock, a schedule designed to maintain tight control over progress and ensure continuous momentum on the build.
Dredging and infrastructure upgrades
Beyond the surface works, dredging operations are planned at the port to deepen berth areas and improve navigation access for larger vessels. The dredging program aims to increase terminal capacity, streamline container handling operations, and create conditions better suited to growing rail cargo volumes arriving overland from China, Central Asia, and Europe.
The infrastructure improvements are intended to strengthen Aktau's role as a pivotal junction where rail freight from the east meets sea routes westward across the Caspian, supporting the broader growth of intermodal trade through Kazakhstan.
Belt and Road joint venture
The project originated from a joint venture agreement signed in 2024 during the 8th International Silk Road Exhibition in Xi'an, China. The three partners are KTZ Express JSC—a subsidiary of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ)—Lianyungang Port Group LLC, and Aktau Sea Trade Port NC JSC. The initiative has received formal backing from both the Kazakh and Chinese governments and is being implemented within the framework of the global One Belt, One Road initiative.
The Aktau hub is positioned to serve as a key node along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, offering shippers an alternative to northern overland routes and expanding multimodal connectivity between Asia and Europe.