China-Europe cargo traffic via TITR to increase to 2,000 container trains by end of 2029

ASTANA. Sept 25 (Interfax) - Astana and Beijing predict an increase in the flow of goods from China via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route to 2,000 container trains per year by 2029, the Kazakh Transport Ministry's press service said.

The first meeting of the working group on cargo transportation via TITR between Kazakhstan and China was held in Astana on Wednesday.

"The parties discussed and agreed on the projected volumes of cargo traffic from China via the TITR in the China-Europe direction and vice versa by the end of 2029. Thus, through joint efforts, the parties will increase the volume of transport via the TITR to 600 container trains per year in 2025-2026, to 1000 in 2027 and to 2000 in 2029," the statement said.

In addition, Kazakhstan will take measures to ensure the appropriate infrastructure in domestic ports for the timely transport of containers and the prevention of delays in accordance with the increase in the number of transit container trains.

A number of projects are being implemented on the Kazakh section of the route, including the construction of a second track on the Dostyk-Moiynty section, the Almaty bypass and the new Darbaza-Maktaral railway line between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Measures are also being taken to increase the potential of the seaports of Aktau and Kuryk. A container hub will be built at the Aktau port. A grain terminal will be opened at the Kuryk port this year. Construction of the Sarzha multifunctional terminal is underway. In 2024, the port of Kuryk will be dredged to ensure sufficient depth for 6-metre vessels. The Transport Ministry plans to carry out similar work at the port of Aktau. "These measures will increase the capacity of Kazakhstan's ports to 30 million tonnes per year (+10 million tonnes)," the report says.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the "Middle Corridor", is an international transport corridor running through China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and on to Turkey and European countries. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which is now operational, is part of the corridor.