Central Asia

At a meeting of the Presidium of the Kazakhstan Transport Workers’ Union, Kazlogistics, key performance results for 2025 were reviewed and objectives for the near future were outlined. The heads of relevant working groups presented an up-to-date assessment of the state of the transport and logistics industry and identified issues requiring joint solutions from market participants and government agencies.

Amid delays on sea and road routes, rail freight is once again becoming the fastest and most reliable method of shipping from China to Europe. The transit time for a 40HQ container to Poland is currently around 14 days – the best in recent years, according to AsstrA-Associated Traffic AG.

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) Multimodal Transport Forum was held in Tashkent, bringing together representatives of transport agencies from member countries and international organizations. Kazakhstan was represented by Vice Minister Talgat Lastayev, who outlined key areas for the development of multimodal logistics.

Kazakhstan’s railway engineering industry is demonstrating steady growth in 2024–2025, thanks to active government support and major investments. JSC Passenger Transportation (a subsidiary of KTZ) allocated 102.8 billion tenge, raised through the Industrial Development Fund, to purchase 100 new passenger cars. Meanwhile, large-scale localization of production continues in the country: Wabtec has localized 45% of its locomotive production, while Alstom, through its Electrovoz Kurastyru Zauyty joint venture in Astana, is producing key components and creating over 1,000 jobs. A key step was the $1.3 billion framework agreement between KTZ and China’s CRRC, which provides for the construction of service centers and a plant with deep localization.

The Akmola Railway Division demonstrated strong production results for the first ten months of 2025. Against a planned target of 7.4 million tons, actual handling totaled 8.15 million tons, representing 110.1% of the planned volume. This increase reached 748,400 tons, representing a nearly 50%, or 2.7 million tons, increase compared to the same period last year.

Yevgeny Karabanov, Head of the Analytical Committee of the Kazakhstan Grain Union, stated that the restrictions imposed by KTZ on grain loading are temporary and unavoidable. He stated that these measures are aimed at stabilizing the movement of export cargo and are related to the high load on the rail infrastructure of neighboring countries, primarily Uzbekistan.

At the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo 2025, Ocean Network Express (ONE) showcased its integrated frozen seafood logistics solutions in Asia. The company thanks all its customers and partners for their visits to the stand and the productive discussions, which highlighted the innovative and dynamic nature of the industry.

JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy signed a mandate agreement to attract $1.6 billion in financing over a 10-year period for the renewal of its locomotive fleet. The document was signed during the official visit of the President of Kazakhstan to the United States between KTZ and Citibank, which is coordinating the transaction. The U.S. Export-Import Bank (US EXIM) is serving as the project guarantee.

Chinese engineers have begun developing an innovative container ship with a capacity of up to 14,000 TEU, equipped with an advanced propulsion system based on a 200 MW TMSR molten salt thorium reactor. This power level is comparable to the S6W reactors used on the US Navy’s Seawolf-class nuclear submarines.

During the official visit of the President of Kazakhstan to the United States and his participation in the C5+1 Summit, JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy and the American corporation Wabtec signed a cooperation agreement on the training and professional development of railway personnel.