BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 16. Kazakhstan currently ensures the transit of 80% of overland cargo shipments from China to Europe, the country's Minister of Transport says.
This was published by the press service of the Kazakh government in a press-release, following the country’s Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev’s speech during a cabinet meeting.
"Transit has become the main driver of the domestic railway sector. Over the past five years, transit shipments have increased from 20 million to 33 million tons. Our task is to accelerate this momentum in the coming decades," Sauranbayev said.
According to the minister, Kazakhstan plans to double transit volumes to 67 million tons by 2030 and reach 100 million tons by 2040 as part of its long-term transport development strategy, the report says.
The press-release highlighted that the country is actively expanding international transport corridors, in line with efforts to strengthen its transport and logistics potential and develop new railway routes and terminal infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan operates one of the largest railway networks in Eurasia, with more than 16,000 kilometers of rail lines linking the country with China, Russia, Central Asia and the Caspian region. Rail transport plays a central role in Kazakhstan's freight and transit system due to the country's vast territory and its position on key East-West and North-South trade corridors.
In recent years, Kazakhstan has accelerated investment in railway infrastructure as part of its strategy to strengthen its role as a regional logistics hub. The government plans to build and modernize about 5,000 kilometers of railways, while new transit corridors and border-crossing projects are expected to increase freight capacity and support growing cargo flows between China, Europe and Central Asia.
