Intermodal

“The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route” (TITR) plans to transport 4 million tons of cargo this year. The round table, including representatives of financial institutions, the global multimodal digital platform DTC Global and shippers from Kazakhstan and Turkey, discussed trends, challenges and prospects for the development of TMTM, within the framework of which plans and tariffs for the current year were approved, as well as steps to intensify activities and prospects for expanding routes were outlined.

Brussels played host to the Global Gateway Investment Forum on January 29-30, 2024, dedicated to bolstering EU-Central Asia Transport Connectivity. The forum aimed at advancing the transformation of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) into a cutting-edge, competitive, and sustainable pathway linking Europe and Central Asia.

The Global Gateway Investors Forum for EU-Central Asia Transport Connectivity kicked off in Brussels, uniting stakeholders from governments, financing institutions, businesses, and civil society across Europe, Central Asia, and beyond. European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis announced a substantial commitment of €10 billion from European and international financial institutions to support sustainable transport connectivity in Central Asia. This initiative is particularly crucial in light of the urgency to establish reliable trade routes between Europe and Asia, avoiding transit through Russia, emphasized by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Kombiverkehr KG has enhanced the flexibility of intermodal transports between Germany and Turkey/Greece, effective January. The Munich-Trieste route now offers an increased departure frequency, rising from three to five weekly round trips. Departures from Munich occur on Wednesdays and Fridays, while those from the Trieste terminal (operated by Samer Seaports & Terminals) take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This strategic adjustment allows seamless ferry connections from Trieste to Pendik, Mersin, Cesme in Turkey, and Patras in Greece, streamlining the process with continuous bookings in a one-stop shop approach. Kombiverkehr ensures additional connecting services from Munich-Riem to destinations within Germany and various terminals in Benelux, the UK, Poland, Norway, and Sweden, accommodating the transport of hazardous goods with minimal restrictions, excluding class 1 and 7 dangerous goods. The routes also permit loading unit profiles, including trailers with a P400 profile.

EcoVadis, a renowned global provider of independent sustainability ratings, has once again bestowed gold status upon the Rhenus Group in its 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) rankings. Rhenus excelled in assessments related to the environment, employment and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement, securing a high overall score of 73 out of 100 points. This places the international logistics specialist among the top percentile of assessed service providers in the logistics sector.

Important prospects for the development of the transport industry in Kazakhstan were discussed at a meeting between Vice Minister of Transport Talgat Lastaev and the external International Financial Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group. The parties focused on 36 key projects covering the areas of railway and sea transport, aviation, and road reconstruction. To implement these ambitious plans in the next five years, the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan estimates the need for investments of about 40 billion dollars, involving in cooperation such global players as the ports of Abu Dhabi, the port of Lianyungang, PSA, FESCO, COSCO Shipping, Rhenus, SOVICO, Terminal Holding , TAV Holding and others.

In the area of the village of Dostyk, on the Kazakh-Chinese border, a new international trade and logistics center was put into operation, implemented by Dostyk Storage LLP with the support of state government revenues. The main objective of this project is to improve and develop logistics employment in border areas and increase the capacity of the Alakol customs post. According to the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan, new warehouse capabilities make it possible to increase the number of trucks passing through Dostyk customs from 200 to 600 per day, which leads to a threefold increase in daily cargo turnover from 4000 to 12 thousand tons, which leads to an increase in annual cargo turnover from 1 to 12 thousand tons. 3 million. tons The logistics center, located on an area of 13.5 hectares, is an investment project worth more than 2.8 billion tenge, and within three years its management has been transferred to the state company “Nur Zholy” customs service, which fully registers certain income to the Committee.

Turkmenistan is set to actively participate in the Global Gateway Investment Forum on sustainable transport EU-Central Asia, scheduled for January 29-30 in Brussels, Belgium. Mammetkhan Chakiyev, Director of the Agency for Transport and Communications under Turkmenistan’s Cabinet of Ministers, announced the delegation’s involvement during a government meeting, highlighting that Turkmenistan will host a plenary session addressing the “Investment opportunities of the transport complex of Turkmenistan.”