ASTANA, Kazakhstan, December 1. The Port of Aktau has secured additional financial backing from the European Union, completing a joint financing package aimed at expanding the port’s capacity along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), Trend reports via Kazakhstan Temir Zholy.
The agreement, signed during the Tashkent Investor Forum, adds a €10 million EU grant to an earlier €35 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The funds will be used to reconstruct and extend two berths and purchase weather-resistant quay cranes to boost container handling.
EU-EBRD studies have identified Aktau as a key node on the Trans-Caspian route. The upgrades are expected to increase throughput by over 0.5 million tons of general cargo and enable the port to handle four full-size vessels at once.
The EU has previously announced €10 billion in funding for the development of the Trans-Caspian corridor, with Kazakhstan positioned as its central link and set to benefit from broader modernization of its port, rail, and logistics infrastructure.
The Port of Aktau's established capacity is 2.5 million tons of dry cargo and 7.5 million tons of oil annually. The strategic significance of the TITR increased sharply in 2022, leading to rapid growth: the total volume of freight transported along the corridor tripled in 2024 compared to the previous year. The EU's announced €10 billion investment in the entire Trans-Caspian route is designated for projects spanning port modernization, rail infrastructure, and logistics. Specifically, upgrades to Aktau's berth infrastructure are planned to increase its general cargo throughput by over 0.5 million tons annually.