Middle Corridor Must Cut Delays, TITR Chief Says

AI digestMimile.ai EditorialAugust 28, 2026 at 04:17 PM

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Middle Corridor Must Cut Delays, TITR Chief Says

The Middle Corridor must reduce transit times through consistent modernization of ports, railways, and digital tools, TITR Secretary General Nurgul Zhakupova said. Container traffic grew 36% in 2025 to 77,000 TEUs, while total freight slipped to 4.12 million tons. The EU and financial institutions have committed €10 billion to develop a route linking Central Asia and Europe in 15 days.

Key Facts

Container traffic on the Middle Corridor grew 36% in 2025 to around 77,000 TEUs.
Total freight volume slipped to about 4.12 million tons in 2025 from 4.48 million tons in 2024.
The World Bank estimates freight volumes could triple and transit times halve by 2030 with necessary investments.
The EU and international financial institutions committed €10 billion for sustainable transport connectivity in Central Asia.
KTZ Express plans to acquire six multipurpose dry cargo container vessels, four from China's Jiangsu Haizhongzhou and two from Baku Shipyard.

Route Modernization

TITR Secretary General Nurgul Zhakupova said reducing transit time requires consistent modernization of all key links, from ports and terminals to railway infrastructure and digital tools. Kazakhstan launched the second Dostyk-Moyynty railway line and the Almaty bypass in 2025. The Dostyk-Moyynty project stretches 836 kilometers and is expected to substantially increase rail capacity on the China-Kazakhstan axis. Construction of the Moyynty-Kyzylzhar line and modernization of other sections are continuing.

Caspian Bottlenecks

Growing traffic requires more vessels, while falling water levels and adverse weather complicate port and shipping operations on the Caspian Sea. KTZ Express plans to acquire six multipurpose dry cargo container vessels. Four vessels are to be built by China's Jiangsu Haizhongzhou Shipping Industry and two by the Baku Shipyard.

1 source

Middle Corridor Must Cut Delays, TITR Chief Says

timesca.com

Times of Central Asia

Politics

Middle Corridor freight volume hits 4.5 million tons, a fivefold increase

Freight volume along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route has quintupled to 4.5 million tons over the past seven years, while container traffic rose to nearly 77,000 TEU. Kazakhstan has invested $35 billion in transport infrastructure over that period.

Politics

China starts weekly Arctic container shipping service as Red Sea threats persist

The Middle East conflict and Houthi threats in the Red Sea are driving China to adopt the Arctic Northern Sea Route for container shipping, with Chinese firm Sea Legend this week launching the first regular weekly service between Ningbo and Felixstowe. The so-called “Ice Silk Road” slashes voyage time by about half, but Western shippers continue to avoid the route due to concerns over the environment and ties with Russia.

Politics

Kazakhstan lays 202.5 km of Middle Corridor railway as Caspian bottlenecks persist

Kazakhstan has laid 202.5 kilometers of track on the 323-kilometer Moyynty-Kyzylzhar railway, scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. The new line will shorten the Middle Corridor by 149 kilometers and ease congestion on the Moyynty-Zharyk section. Caspian Sea transshipment bottlenecks persist, with 2025 Aktau-Baku-Aktau feeder traffic up 15 percent to 59,400 TEU.

Environment

Iran and Houthis close key straits as drought slows Panama, Rhine cargo

Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed to most ships, blocking a route that carries 20 percent of the world's oil. Yemen's Houthis close Bab el-Mandeb to Saudi vessels, forcing Saudi oil tankers around Africa. Drought compounds the disruption: Panama Canal ships wait 10 days to transit, and the Rhine is at its lowest since records began in 1880.

Middle Corridor Must Cut Delays, TITR Chief Says

Key Facts

Route Modernization

Caspian Bottlenecks

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