Dredging in Azerbaijani sector of Caspian Sea to begin in late 2026, Baku Port CEO says

Dredging operations in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea in cooperation with international partners will begin at the end of 2026, Director General of Baku International Sea Trade Port LLC Eldar Salahov told journalists, Report informs.

According to him, the falling water level of the Caspian Sea is a serious environmental challenge for all Caspian littoral states, though the port currently faces no technical issues due to these changes.

"However, we are already taking the necessary measures. During the summer months, an international tender was announced for seabed dredging work. We are currently evaluating the tender results. In the coming days, we plan to finalize the terms of the contract. I believe that at the end of 2026, we will physically begin dredging operations in the Caspian Sea together with international partners," he said.

The CEO added that the work will last approximately one and a half years: "All technical preparatory work, seabed studies, and bathymetric surveys have already been conducted. This is a preventive measure. Currently, there are no restrictions on the port's technical capabilities or ship reception related to changing sea levels."