BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 24. Construction of the Baqty multimodal dry port and logistics park has officially begun in the Makanshy district of Kazakhstan's Abai Region, the region's administration announced.
Speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony, Akim of Abai Region Berik Uali said that the project would strengthen not only the transport and logistics capacity of Abai Region but also Kazakhstan's position as a key Eurasian transit hub.
"The Head of State has identified strengthening Kazakhstan's role as a leading transit hub in Eurasia and expanding the country's transit potential as strategic priorities. The Baqty project is an important step toward achieving these goals. This dry port will become a new point of economic growth, integrating international trade, transport and logistics, attracting investment, supporting business development and boosting the export potential of border areas," he said.
According to the regional administration, the Baqty dry port will become the third railway border crossing between Kazakhstan and China after Dostyk and Khorgos. The new logistics hub is expected to increase the capacity of the Kazakhstan-China border by an additional 20-25 million tons of cargo annually, reducing pressure on the existing crossings.
The terminal is designed to handle up to one million containers per year, with annual throughput projected to reach 700,000 containers by 2032.
The first phase of the project will attract $210 million in private investment and create 200 jobs. Construction will provide employment for between 800 and 1,200 people, while the completed facility is expected to generate 500-1,000 permanent jobs. A further 1,500-2,000 jobs are expected to emerge in related service industries.
The logistics complex will include container and grain terminals, warehouses, customs and logistics infrastructure, a vehicle terminal and service facilities. Bonded warehouses with a total area of up to 50,000 square meters will also be built.
The project also includes a 200-bed accommodation complex for shift workers and visiting specialists, equipped with a canteen, laundry, gym and a 24-hour medical center.
The investment project is scheduled for implementation between 2026 and 2028. The complex will occupy a 150-hectare site in the Baqty rural district of Makanshy.
The regional administration noted that Abai Region plans to implement 41 investment projects worth 131.2 billion tenge (about $276 million) in 2026, creating 3,263 jobs. During the first half of the year, 14 investment projects worth 34.62 billion tenge were commissioned, generating 598 jobs.
