Cargo traffic via Middle Corridor exceeds 3 million tons in 8 months

Cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor exceeded 3 million tons in the first eight months of 2026, up 22% from the same period last year, Kazakhstan's Vice Minister of Trade and Integration Aidar Abildabekov told Report.

"Currently, the Middle Corridor's designed capacity reaches 6 million tons. In 2025, slightly more than 4 million tons were transported. Thus, we have significant spare capacity," he said.

The vice minister pointed to changes in the structure of cargo flows along the route. In particular, container transportation increased by 36% in 2025, reaching 77,000 tons. Over the first eight months of this year, container transportation grew by a further 18%.

"We aim for containers to reach the ports of Georgia and Türkiye within 10-12 days. In this case, the corridor will become truly in demand. And then our countries will jointly benefit from this transit," Abildabekov emphasized.

He also called on the business community to invest in establishing new production facilities along the route.

"These are new jobs, this is industrial production. Consequently, infrastructure will develop along this corridor, enabling trade to be accelerated for all participants," he said.

The vice minister also said that the first stage of establishing a container hub at the Port of Aktau in partnership with a Chinese company has been completed. In addition, dredging works are being carried out with the assistance of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

He added that berth facilities are being modernized in parallel, cargo-handling equipment is being purchased, the infrastructure of the Port of Kuryk is being upgraded, a grain terminal is being built, and container handling capacity is being expanded.