Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan complete Trans-Caspian fiber optic seabed cable installation
ASTANA. Aug 6 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have completed the installation of the Trans-Caspian fiber-optic communications cable along the Caspian Sea bed, the Kazakh government's press service said.
The underwater cable has reached Kazakhstan's coastline, marking the conclusion of the most complex phase of the project, which began in July 2026. The cable was previously delivered to the port of Kuryk and transported by barge to Azerbaijan's Alat port. Laying operations were conducted around the clock using a specialized vessel with a displacement of more than 20,000 tonnes, with 70 specialists involved.
"The completion of the seabed cable installation is a critical milestone for the Trans-Caspian fiber-optic line," the government statement said. Work is now underway to connect the cable to onshore infrastructure.
Above-ground construction is scheduled to be finished in the autumn, followed by commissioning and system testing.
The project is being built and will be operated by CaspiLink B.V., a joint venture between Kazakhstan's national telecom operator Kazakhtelecom and AzerTelecom International. The initiative is funded entirely from the operators' own resources, with no budgetary financing, according to the government.
The Trans-Caspian fiber-optic cable line forms part of the larger Digital Silk Way megaproject, which aims to create a digital telecommunications corridor crossing Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. The route between Aktau and Sumgayit will link the digital infrastructure of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, establishing a direct high-speed data corridor between Asia and Europe.
The 380-kilometer submarine segment spanning the Caspian from Sumgayit to Aktau is designed with a planned capacity of up to 400 terabits per second, enabling the transmission of massive data volumes.
The cable system is expected to enter commercial service in the third quarter of 2026, in line with earlier projections.
