Trans-Caspian Route Freight Volumes Increase Fivefold Over Seven Years
17 march
# Market News
Freight traffic along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TMTM) has grown fivefold over the past seven years, rising from 0.8 million to 4.5 million tonnes per year, according to the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan.
The most significant growth has been observed in the container segment. Last year, 77,000 TEUs were transported along the route, with plans to increase this figure to 300,000 TEUs by 2029.
The Trans-Caspian route connects Asian and European countries, passing through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. An alternative corridor via the Black Sea from Georgian ports is also in use.
Demand for the corridor has surged since 2022, partly due to its role in facilitating shipments that bypass Russia.
The Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan highlights that the Trans-Caspian route is attractive for international shipping because of favorable conditions, including simplified customs procedures, implementation of a “single window” system, and reduced transit times—from 28–32 days down to 13–17 days.
However, certain bottlenecks remain, mainly in the Caspian Sea section. Efforts are underway to increase the corridor’s capacity, including:
• dredging works completed at the Kuryk port and ongoing at Aktau port,
• construction of the “Sarzha” terminal in Kuryk with a capacity of up to 5 million tonnes,
• completion of a container hub at Aktau,
• an EU grant allocated for reconstruction of berths at Aktau.
On the railway front, second tracks have been completed on the Dostyk–Moynty line, and a bypass line around Almaty has been commissioned.
In the coming years, freight volumes on the TMTM are expected to more than double, reaching over 10 million tonnes annually.
