The Kazakh company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) and the management of the Chinese port of Lianyungang have officially confirmed their full readiness to commission the Aktau International Container Hub. According to the schedule approved by the partners, the launch of this major new logistics facility on the Caspian Sea is planned by the end of June this year. The new infrastructure node will become an integral part of the unified transit system being created for the prompt transportation of goods from China through the territory of Kazakhstan toward the markets of the Caucasus, Turkey, and European states.

The need to create a specialized hub is driven by the rapid increase in transit cargo traffic across the Caspian Sea. By the end of 2025, the volume of container traffic along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) demonstrated steady positive dynamics, reaching the mark of 42 thousand TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). This reflects a 15% year-on-year growth in physical transportation volumes.

For Chinese exporters, large trading companies, and manufacturers of FMCG consumer goods, the launch of the new container hub in Aktau opens up direct opportunities for optimizing international logistics. Utilizing this node allows for a significant reduction in cargo delivery times to CIS, Central Asian, and European countries, bypassing congested overland border crossings on other routes. Chinese businesses gain access to a more reliable, predictable, and high-tech logistics route, enabling them to minimize transportation costs and enhance the competitiveness of Chinese products in foreign markets.