The talks brought together Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Kazakhstan Alimirzamin Askerov, and AZCON Holding representative Shahin Babayev. The sides focused on expanding transit capacity and logistical efficiency along the Middle Corridor.
What traffic volumes are targeted for the Caspian Bridge project?
Under the proposed arrangement, train ferries will directly carry freight wagons across the sea, removing cargo transshipment bottlenecks along the route. According to the Ministry of Transport, the project aims to handle 8 million tons of freight annually, with plans to expand capacity toward 10–12 million tons.
What bilateral agreements were signed during the visit?
During the Azerbaijani delegation's visit, Samruk-Kazyna JSC and AZCON Holding concluded a cooperation agreement for project preparation and implementation. In addition, NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSC and Azerbaijan Railways CJSC signed a Term Sheet outlining the establishment of a joint intermodal cargo terminal at the Port of Alyat.
What other areas of logistics cooperation were reviewed?
The agenda covered the rollout of a joint terminal network, industrial cooperation in locomotive manufacturing and shipbuilding, tariff policy coordination, and solutions to shorten transit delivery times to Europe.
FAQ
### What is the core operating model of the Caspian Bridge project?
Rail ferries serve as an extension of the railway infrastructure, enabling railcars to roll directly onto vessels without unloading.
Rules related to this news
### Where will the joint intermodal terminal be located?
The planned joint intermodal terminal will be situated at the Port of Alyat in Azerbaijan.
### Which Kazakh entities participated in the agreements?
Samruk-Kazyna JSC and NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSC (KTZ) were the Kazakh signatories.
### What industrial partnerships are under consideration?
Discussions touched upon industrial manufacturing cooperation in locomotives and shipbuilding, though individual contracts were not announced.
### Is this news related to China?
The report from the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan makes no mention of Chinese companies, and no inferences are made in this article.
Related reading
- More industry and policy updates: Kazakhstan investment and project news
- Middle Corridor: Aktau port container hub launched, first phase capacity around 140k TEU per year
- Middle Corridor data: Trans-Caspian corridor transit containers in first eight months
- Setting up a project company: Company registration in Kazakhstan
Sources
- Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan (gov.kz), 3 November: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/transport/press/news/details/1322454?lang=ru
Illustration: AI-generated, not a real photograph.
