Kazakhstan Delivers Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic Cable to Baku
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Kazakhstan delivered a submarine fiber-optic cable for the Trans-Caspian communication line to Baku on June 22, 2026. The cable, manufactured in China, was shipped from the port of Kuryk aboard the vessel Azerbaijan and is part of a planned digital corridor between Europe and Asia bypassing Russia.
Key Facts
- The armored optical cable for the Trans-Caspian line was manufactured and tested in China before shipment.
- The cargo was hauled across Kazakhstan by a convoy of three special vehicles and loaded onto a ferry at the port of Kuryk.
- Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov announced on February 19, 2026 in New Delhi that the line is to be completed with Azerbaijani partners in 2026.
- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at the Turkic States summit in Turkistan on May 15 that commissioning is planned in the coming months.
Cable Delivery
The armored optical cable for the Trans-Caspian communication line was manufactured and tested in China before shipment. On June 22, the submarine cables were delivered to Baku from the Kazakh port of Kuryk. The cargo was transported across Kazakhstan in a convoy of three special vehicles. It was then loaded onto a ferry at Kuryk and carried by sea aboard the vessel Azerbaijan. ASCO, the marine operations partner, said its vessel Turkkan had earlier taken part in seabed survey work in the Caspian.
Project Timeline
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced in his September 2, 2024 address that the Trans-Caspian fiber-optic line would be completed in 2025. The project missed that deadline, and Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov set a new completion target during talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on February 19, 2026. Bektenov said Kazakhstan and Azerbaijani partners must complete construction of the line in 2026. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at the Turkic States summit in Turkistan on May 15 that commissioning is planned in the coming months.
Regional Digital Corridor
The Trans-Caspian line is intended to create an alternative digital corridor between Europe and Asia that bypasses Russia. President Tokayev said the project would help Kazakhstan build digital infrastructure linked to international data channels and cross-border flows. Prime Minister Bektenov said the line will provide the shortest alternative route for global data traffic. Bektenov added that the project would position Kazakhstan as a digital bridge between East and West.
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Kazakhstan Delivers Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic Cable to Baku
