26 Oct 2022 11:41

Trans-Caspian route to serve as driver of Kazakhstan's transit, export capabilities - President Tokayev

ASTANA. Oct 26 (Interfax) - The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) will serve as a major link and will help unlock the transit and export potential of Kazakhstan, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.

"We will turn the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route into a major link which will contribute to the unlocking of our transit and export potential. We will strengthen our seaports and the fleet and will create a container hub on the Caspian Sea," Tokayev said at the national public headquarters on Wednesday, as he presented his election program.

Kazakhstan will launch a network of trade and economic centers on the borders with Russia, China and Central Asian countries, Tokayev said, adding that 11,000 kilometers of railroads will be repaired, Dostyk-Moyinty and Darbaza-Maktaaral railroad lines will be launched, and a bypass around Almaty and the Bakhty railroad checkpoint on the border with China will be built.

"We will continue the creation of an energy network to meet the demand of the public and industries. We will also diversify hydrocarbon production and will supply gas to our regions," Tokayev said.

Alternative energy projects will dynamically develop, and renewable energy generation will increase by 50%, he said.

"We are planning to modernize and build 3.7 GW generation facilities and heating and power plants," Tokayev said.

It is also planned to complete the construction of power transmission lines, which will loop the national power grid, Tokayev said. The domestic market will be saturated with the main types of petroleum products by increasing the annual output to 21 million tonnes, he said.

"As oil production grows, we will be diversifying corridors for hydrocarbon exports," Tokayev said.

New gas refineries will be commissioned, and commercial gas production will grow to 30 billion cubic meters. The country will achieve 60% gasification, he said.

TITR is an international transport corridor stretching through China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, and ending in Europe. The commissioned Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad is part of the corridor.

At present, Kazakhstan exports bulk of its oil through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). The consortium transports over 80% of pipeline oil. Its annual capacity is 67 million tonnes.