ASTANA — Kazakhstan signed a roadmap with Iran, Turkmenistan, and Russia to synchronously develop the eastern route of the North-South international transport corridor for 2024-2025 at the first transport trade and export forum, held July 19-20 in Aktau.
Over 440 participants from 12 countries attended the forum. Photo credit: gov.kz Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
According to the Kazakh Transport Ministry’s press service, the North-South transport corridor, with its final destination in the ports of the Persian Gulf, provides further access to India and holds significant economic development potential for Kazakhstan. Implementing this roadmap is projected to increase the corridor’s throughput to 15 million tons per year by 2027 and to 20 million tons per year by 2030.
Transit through Afghanistan to be expanded
During the forum, Kazakhstan discussed the possibility of constructing a new railway line, Turghundi – Herat – Kandahar – Spin Boldak, which would run from Turkmenistan’s western border through Afghanistan to Pakistan and India.
Serik Zhumangarin visits the Beineu grain terminal. Photo credit: primeminister.kz
Turkmenistan has already agreed with Afghanistan to establish a logistics center in Turghundi and plans to start construction soon. The Turkmen Agency for Transport and Communications has invited Kazakhstan to participate in the construction, given its established production of high-quality upper railway tracks, which would increase the corridor’s attractiveness.
Afghanistan expressed its readiness to facilitate the transit of goods through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to Pakistan. The country highlighted the corridor’s effectiveness for all involved parties in the transportation process and expressed interest in importing Chinese goods through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
“We support the idea of Turkmenistan, this is actually the beginning of the construction of a western corridor through Afghanistan to Pakistan and further to India,” said Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin.
New export route for Kazakh grain in the making
With delegations from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, Zhumangarin visited the Beineu grain terminal in the Mangystau Region. Covering an area of 26 hectares, this promising logistics hub features eight kilometers of railway tracks and has its rolling stock.
The terminal can store 100,000 tons of grain, receive up to 500 wagons per day, and dispatch up to two million tons of grain annually. It also includes a milling complex capable of producing 320 tons of flour and 80 tons of bran daily. Following modernization, the complex will launch two flour production lines with a combined capacity of 400 tons per day and increase compound feed production from 80 to 240 tons daily.
Afghan representatives discussed the potential for grain supplies through the terminal, exploring establishing a stable route for exporting Kazakh wheat to Afghanistan and Pakistan. To implement these plans, additional warehouses in border areas and logistics through Turkmenistan are necessary. The involved parties intend to work out the details for creating a new export route for Kazakh grain.
