ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to significantly boost cargo transit from China to Europe through its territory, aiming for a five-fold increase by 2029, as announced by Deputy Minister of Transport, Satzhan Ablaliyev, during a government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov on December 5. In the initial nine months of this year, road freight transportation reached 5.5 million tons, marking a 22% increase compared to the same period last year, with domestic operators contributing 42% to this share. Transit transportation saw a notable surge of 44%, reaching 3.6 million tons, with China accounting for a substantial portion, doubling cargo transportation to 1.5 million tons.
Ablaliyev highlighted the crucial role of a well-equipped vehicle fleet in enhancing the competitiveness of domestic carriers. Kazakhstan aims to double its available equipment for road transportation in the coming years, with plans to attract representative offices of major international operators to the country. Additionally, efforts are underway to create new routes, emphasizing Kazakhstan’s commitment to expanding and improving its transportation infrastructure.
Prime Minister Smailov underscored the direct impact of developed road freight transportation on various sectors of the economy. Currently, Kazakhstan boasts eight international highway corridors spanning nearly 13,000 kilometers across its territory, including crucial routes like Western Europe – Western China, North-South, and the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA).
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