ASTANA – Kazakhstan highlighted the rapid growth of the Middle Corridor and the need to accelerate its digitalization at the Georgian International Maritime Forum in Batumi on Sept. 7-8.
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Kazakhstan Deputy Minister of Transport Zhanibek Taizhanov said freight volumes along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) rose 22% in January-August, while East-West transit increased 55%.
Digitalization drives seamless transit
Speaking at the panel session From Seas to Corridors: The New Geography of Global Trade, Taizhanov stressed the importance of integrating maritime, rail and port infrastructure to make international supply chains more efficient and resilient, the ministry’s press service reported.
He also presented President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s initiative to develop a digital map of transport routes, providing an integrated view of transport infrastructure, logistics chains and cargo flows along international corridors.
The Middle Corridor currently has a capacity of 6 million tons, including 182,000 TEUs. Measures to streamline logistics have reduced cargo delivery times from 38 days to 13-17 days, with a target of 10-12 days from China to ports in Georgia and Türkiye.
Kazakhstan is also advancing the Digital Trade Corridor, which enables online cargo tracking and single-window contracting. Its Tez Customs module has reduced transit customs processing from eight hours to 30 minutes, the ministry told The Astana Times.
Infrastructure expansion
The forum brought together government officials, maritime administrations, international organizations, port operators, logistics companies and industry experts.
Discussions covered port infrastructure, maritime cooperation, digital transformation, navigation and shipping safety, and applying the single-window principle in the maritime sector.
Discussions on the Middle Corridor also highlighted the need for further infrastructure investment. Speaking at the 5th International Forum on Freight Transport in the Black and Caspian Regions 2026 in Baku, World Bank Senior Transport and Logistics Specialist Luis Blancas said a new comprehensive report on the Middle Corridor is scheduled for publication on Sept. 27, Trend reported.
The report covers all nine participating countries and identifies 16 critical investment priorities worth around US$25 billion. More than three-quarters of the required investment is already underway, Blancas said.
The report is expected to provide a broader assessment of infrastructure needs as cargo flows between Asia and Europe continue to grow.
