Central Asia

At a government meeting, measures to develop transport infrastructure in support of the tourism industry were reviewed. According to Minister of Transport Nurlan Sauranbayev, roadworks this year have covered 11,000 km of public roads, including access routes to the Rakhmanovskie Klyuchi, Kenderli, Bayanaul, Zerenda, and Kolsai tourist areas. The completion of the Almaty–Ust-Kamenogorsk highway has reduced travel time by 4–5 hours, thereby improving the region’s transport accessibility.

The Port of Barcelona Authority has entered into a new strategic cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission (SMTC) and the Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG). Signed during a visit by a Shanghai delegation, the document aims to strengthen the long-standing partnership between these two major port hubs in Europe and Asia. Representatives from port authorities and regional officials from Catalonia participated in the ceremony.

Formag, together with cargo-partner and JETRO, held a trilateral meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between Ukrainian and Japanese organizations and identifying new avenues for collaboration. Participants exchanged views on the current situation, discussed shared interests, and explored potential practical steps to expand economic and business ties between the two countries.

JSC “NC ‘Kazakhstan Temir Zholy’” (KTZ) is implementing a large-scale railway network modernization program involving the renewal of over 3,000 kilometers of track. To date, work has been completed on 1,209 kilometers across the Kyzylzhar–Saksaulskaya, Altynkol–Zhetygen, and Aksu–Zhana-Semey sections, with the entire suite of projects scheduled for completion in 2026.

A keel-laying ceremony took place at the Baku Shipyard for the first 780-TEU container ship being built for Kazakhstan through a partnership between the National Maritime Shipping Company “Kazmortransflot” and Abu Dhabi Ports Group. The vessel will be part of a program to expand Kazakhstan’s merchant fleet in the Caspian Sea. In total, the parties plan to build two modern container ships by the end of 2027 to transport containerized cargo along routes in the Trans-Caspian region.

The logistics company Formag has announced a new phase of cooperation with the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce in Japan by signing a memorandum on advisory collaboration in the fields of logistics and international shipping. The agreement aims to foster business ties between Ukraine and Japan and to expand expert support for projects involving international trade and transportation.

In Kazakhstan, work continues on the new Moyinty–Kyzylzhar railway line project, which is set to become a vital link in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Spanning over 300 kilometers, this main line will traverse the Karaganda and Ulytau regions, connecting the Moyinty and Kyzylzhar stations. Once commissioned, the new section will shorten freight transport routes by 149 kilometers, enhance the efficiency of containerized cargo shipments, and boost the country’s transit potential.

JSC NC “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy” (KTZ) is implementing the largest program in the history of independent Kazakhstan to upgrade its main railway network. In 2025–2026, this modernization initiative will cover approximately 3,000 kilometers of track – representing one-quarter of the country’s entire railway infrastructure. To date, work has been completed on 1,140 kilometers, or 38% of the planned scope. Concurrently, projects are being executed across seven different sections of the network.

Kanat Almagambetov, CEO of the Union of Transport Workers of Kazakhstan (KAZLOGISTICS), participated in a roundtable discussion dedicated to the integration of science, education, business, and industrial logistics. The event took place on May 22 in Almaty at the M. Tynyshpayev ALT University, bringing together representatives from government agencies, the scientific community, educational institutions, and the business sector to discuss prospects for the development of the country’s transport and logistics industry.

Kazakhstan’s national railway operator, KTZ, is accelerating the implementation of infrastructure projects to boost transit traffic between China and Europe. According to company head Talgat Aldybergenov, interest among Chinese shippers in land-based routes has grown significantly due to their greater reliability and predictable delivery times compared to maritime transport. Another factor driving the redistribution of cargo flows has been instability along traditional transport corridors, which has reinforced Kazakhstan’s role as a key transit hub within the Eurasian region.