ROME — A Georgian company plans to launch ferry services between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan starting in 2026, with the first vessels operating across the Caspian Sea between the ports of Kuryk and Alat. The project is expected to boost cargo turnover and strengthen regional maritime connectivity, reported Kazinform on Dec.23.
Aktau seaport. Photo credit: Press Service of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
“Starting next year, together with Georgian business, we plan to launch six ferries between the ports of Kuryk and Alat in Azerbaijan. Two ferries have already entered the waters of the Caspian Sea, and they will begin operating in the first half of 2026. After that, two vessels will be added annually, and by 2028 all six ferries will be fully operational,” said Nurdaulet Kilybai, akim (mayor) of the Mangistau Region, during a briefing at the Central Communications Service.
According to Kilybai, the initiative will contribute to the formation of Kazakhstan’s own ferry fleet, increase cargo volumes, and support the development of maritime shipping in the Caspian basin.
Cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor linking China with Europe via Central Asia and the Caspian Sea, increased by 20% this year through Mangistau Region, reaching 2.5 million tons.
The shipping company Semurg Invest plans to expand its fleet to six vessels by 2027. One vessel with a 7,000-ton cargo capacity was added to the route this year.
Construction of a new seaport in the Mangistau Region is scheduled to begin in 2026. Kilybai said negotiations with potential investors were conducted throughout the year in line with instructions from the president and the government.
Investment agreements are currently in the final stage and are expected to be signed by the end of this year or early next year. Construction is planned to start in the second quarter of 2026. A land plot for the port has already been designated, and registration procedures are underway.
The project is expected to support the development of a new international transport corridor linking China, Kazakhstan, Aktau, Baku, Poti, and Europe.
