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.
