ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 15. Kazakh Kazmortransflot and the Emirati AD Ports Group have teamed up to develop transport infrastructure with new container ships and ferries for the Caspian Sea, Trend reports.
The National Maritime Shipping Company of Kazakhstan Kazmortransflot, part of the KazMunayGas Group of Companies, signed a framework agreement with AD Ports Group in Abu Dhabi (UAE). The document is aimed at strengthening partnership and expanding business in the Caspian region.
The parties agreed to build two modern container vessels with a capacity of over 500 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units), specifically designed for operations in the Caspian Sea. The new ships with a shallow draft will increase turnover and throughput capacity of the Trans-Caspian route.
Additionally, the companies confirmed plans to develop an intermodal ferry line across the Caspian Sea. The project includes the construction of large-capacity ferries and the creation of modern terminal infrastructure, which will significantly reduce transit time for Kazakh exporters and participants in the Middle Corridor.
The strategic partnership aims to develop transportation infrastructure and increase Kazakhstan's competitiveness in international logistics.
The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor) is an international transport corridor connecting China and Europe through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye. It is also an important part of the "Belt and Road" initiative, fostering trade and logistics development in the region.