Central Asia

A memorandum was signed in Astana between KTZ Express and the Austrian operator Rail Cargo Austria, aimed at developing multimodal transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. The parties agreed to jointly use ÖBB-Holding’s terminal infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as expand terminal capacity in the region and beyond, which will strengthen Kazakhstan’s logistics connectivity with European markets.

According to JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, 287.8 million tons of cargo were transported across the company’s network from January to November 2025, an increase of 11.5 million tons (+4%) compared to the same period last year. Export rail shipments increased to 80.2 million tons, an increase of 4.9 million tons (+6%). Significant growth was recorded in the coal segment: shipments reached 31.2 million tons (+8%), thanks to increased shipments to the EU, and Central Asia.

In Almaty, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and Eurasian Logistics Park (ELP) launched one of the country’s largest international Class A warehouse complexes, covering over 50,000 square meters. The facility is located at the strategic intersection of the Western China – Western Europe corridor and will become an important hub for e-commerce and international trade. The project was implemented with the support of the EDB, which invested 16.6 billion tenge as part of its strategy to build a modern Eurasian commodity distribution network.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced key agreements reached during talks with Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. The leaders discussed priorities for bilateral cooperation, emphasizing the expansion of trade and economic ties. The parties agreed to increase mutual trade turnover to $1 billion, establish trading houses, and consider launching direct commercial flights.

Kazakhstan has announced preparations for the construction of a new seaport in Aktau, costing approximately $300 million. Nurdaulet Kilibay, Akim of the Mangystau Region, announced that the project is being implemented at the direction of the country’s president and is aimed at developing transport infrastructure and strengthening the region’s transit potential. The Chinese group Zhongyun International is a strategic partner and has already registered a company in the region, preparing documents for signing an investment agreement.

A Kazakh delegation participated in the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and Connectivity Investor Forum, which brought together EU Commissioners, representatives of leading European financial institutions, and transport ministers from countries along the Middle Corridor. A separate meeting of heads of transport agencies from Central Asia, the EU, the South Caucasus, and the Black Sea region was also held on the sidelines of the event.

The first phase of the container hub at the Port of Aktau, being built jointly with the Chinese company Port Lianyungang, will be completed by the end of 2025, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport Nurlan Sauranbayev announced at a government meeting. The project envisages increasing the hub’s capacity to 200,000 TEUs per year, while dredging and berth modernization are simultaneously underway at the port.

Hong Kong Maritime Week focused on developing rail links under the Belt and Road Initiative. Experts from China, Kazakhstan, and the OECD discussed the status and prospects of rail corridors, including routes to Małaszewicze in Poland. At the Asian Logistics, Maritime, and Aviation Conference panel, industry representatives noted that Central Asia is becoming an important hub, shaping future trade routes between East and West.

Container throughput between South America and China continues to grow at record rates: over the past two decades, exports from the region have grown from 200,000 TEU to over 1 million TEU, while imports have risen from under 500,000 TEU to over 3 million TEU. Total trade volume has approached 4.5 million TEU, reflecting deepening economic ties, fueled by growing Chinese direct investment and expanding sectoral cooperation.

SGP Container Terminals, part of the Saudi Global Ports group, announced two significant milestones in October 2025. The company handled its 15 millionth TEU since commencing commercial operations in 2015 and also recorded a record volume handled in a single vessel call – 23,947 TEUs on board the container vessel CSCL ARCTIC OCEAN. Another subsidiary, SGP Intermodal (formerly SGP Riyadh), reached the 4 million TEU mark handled since 2022.