A large-scale project to deepen the seabed by 1.5-2 meters is starting in the waters of the Kazakh port of Aktau as part of expanding the potential of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). The work is planned to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2025, the Ministry of Transport reported. The contractor will be the Belgian company Jan de Nul, which specializes in dredging.
The project is aimed at eliminating current restrictions – the drop in sea levels has forced a reduction in tanker loading: instead of 12 thousand tons, they carry only about 10 thousand. According to the head of the Aktau port, Abay Turikpenbayev, deepening will increase the loading of ships and improve the efficiency of transshipment.
The Aktau port is currently capable of handling up to 15 million tons of cargo per year, including 140 thousand TEU. Let us recall that in November 2024, similar work was completed in the port of Kuryk, where the depth was increased from 7 to 8 meters.