Kazakhstan, UAE agree to develop maritime infrastructure, boost partnership in air traffic field

ALMATY. Jan 17 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates have signed memorandums to develop maritime infrastructure and partnership in air traffic, the press office of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development said.

There are plans to carry out joint projects with Abu Dhabi Ports to develop the infrastructure of seaports in order to strengthen economic ties between Kazakhstan and the UAE, including partnerships in the transport and logistics sector.

"To this end, the company was offered projects aimed at building a container hub and the multifunctional terminal Sarzha in the port of Kuryk, as well as a shipbuilding and repair plant," the statement says.

"We held recently online negotiations with Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group Mohamed Al Shamisi. As a result, it became known that the Emirati side is interested in the development of the Kuryk port. Negotiations are also underway with the UAE on handing over two tankers to National Maritime Shipping Company KazMorTransFlot LLP. It is planned to create a joint venture between Abu Dhabi Ports, KazMunayGas, Kazmortransflot to implement the above project," Kazakh Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Marat Karabayev was quoted as saying in the statement.

In addition, the aviation authorities of the two countries signed a memorandum in order to further increase air traffic, expand the geography of flights. Currently 60 flights between the two countries are carried out to eight destinations every week.