00:30...highlighting business and economic developments in Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asia region, connecting with Europe and beyond.
00:37Spanning 4,250 km of rail and 500 km of maritime links across the Caspian, the middle corridor connects China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the South Caucasus and Turkey.
00:50The EU wants to turn the Trans-Caspian route into a fast modern trade corridor, cutting transit time to 15 days.
00:57But bottlenecks remain. A 2023 study led by the European Commission and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development identified 33 critical infrastructure upgrades and 7 soft connectivity reforms that could transform the corridor's efficiency.
01:11If fully developed, the middle corridor could carry 470,000 containers annually by 2040, according to the EBRD.
01:20Kazakhstan, the world's largest landlocked country, is key.
01:24The government is expanding rail links to double speeds and multiply cargo capacity fivefold.
01:29Cargo volumes through Kazakhstan jumped from 800,000 tons in 2021 to 4.5 million last year with the goal of reaching 10 million tons by 2028.
01:41Joining us now to discuss the developments along the China-Europe route is Sajan Uzbekow, Deputy Director of the Transport Policy Department at Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport.
01:50Mr. Uzbekow, welcome to the program.
01:54Hello. Thank you very much for your invitation.
01:56How much investment has gone into railroad and maritime infrastructure, and how is it helping improve the middle corridor's capacity?
02:03Today, we will be working on modernization of port power power.
02:09In the next year, about two weeks ago, we have been implemented a container hub with Chinese companies in port Ahtau.
02:17We have completed the construction of the terminal in port Ahtau, and we will be working on modernization of the port of Ahtau, and we will be working on a modernization of the railway station, which is within the middle corridor.
02:28The total cost is about 4 billion dollars.
02:32What specific steps is Kazakhstan taking to address the current bottlenecks?
02:36For the exception of the narrow areas, we will be working on modernization of limited areas in the railway and the railway station.
02:46The project began in the railway station, which is the cost of 1 million dollars.
02:52For the development of the railway station, we will be working on the development of the railway station, which is the development of the railway station.
02:59So talk to us about Kazakhstan's throughput capacity via the Caspian Sea. What potential do you see there?
03:16The Caspian Sea port is, of course, first of all, Ahtau and Khuruk.
03:20The capacity of these ports is 22 million tons per year.
03:25For the development of the railway station, we will be working on the railway station, which is in the railway station, we will be working on the railway station, and in the railway station, we will be working on the railway station.
03:35And then we will be working on the railway station.
03:38We are planning on in the railway station, which will allow to increase the transport transport volume of Transkaspian Sea port.
03:49Mr. Uzbekow, thanks for being with us today.
03:51Thank you very much.
03:53Казахстан и Булгария также являются стратегии,
03:58планирующиеся на связи с Бургасом и Варнаом.
04:02Казахстан открылся новая логистическая терминал
04:05в Георгия Блокси-Порт-Офпоти,
04:08с проектом и Азербайджанским партнерами,
04:10с производством капиталов до 200,000 контейнеров.
04:14Это ключевая связь с Блокси.
04:16Казахстан также обеспечивает свой пункт инфраструктуры.
04:19Давайте взглянем.
04:20Актау is now home to the largest container hub on the Caspian Sea.
04:26Its capacity could reach 240,000 standard containers per year,
04:30helping meet growing cargo demand between Europe and China.
04:33The container hub in Актау will be equipped with more advanced technologies.
04:38We'll be using a terminal operating system
04:40that will enhance the efficiency of the hub.
04:44Latest technologies like RMG crane,
04:46the latest ZPMC model that will be more efficient
04:51in terms of handling and loading and unloading the cargo
04:56coming from China to Caspian Sea.
04:59KGZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan Railways,
05:02is leading the project as multi-model operator
05:04of the Trans-Caspian Route,
05:05providing rail links, port infrastructure, and digital solutions.
05:08We have launched the project called TESS Customs.
05:13It helps the cargo to get the clearance at the customs
05:17when the cargo arrives to the border stations.
05:21And we decrease the time from 8 hours to 30 minutes.
05:24The company now plans to expand further with new terminals
05:27in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Hungary,
05:29completing the logistics chain
05:30and simplifying access to European markets.
05:35A core EU focus is digitization
05:37to streamline border checks, customs, and logistics.
05:40Digital freight documents, tracking systems,
05:43and improved data exchange are all in the works.
05:46Here to speak to us about the attractiveness for business
05:49of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor
05:51is Gajdar Abdi-Kerimov,
05:52expert consultant on transport corridors
05:54at the Asian Development Bank.
05:56He's also a fellow of the Chartered Institute
05:58of Logistics and Transport.
06:02Mr. Abdi-Kerimov, welcome.
06:03Great to have you with us.
06:04Good morning. Thank you for inviting me.
06:06At full operational efficiency,
06:09how economically attractive
06:10could the Trans-Caspian transport network become?
06:13The digitization of this route
06:14will improve the speed of the service.
06:18For example, we have a global DTC company
06:21that was in the middle of the installation
06:23between the Chinese and the Kazakhstan borders.
06:26They were in the same place.
06:27The Kazakhstan team, the KTG Express,
06:30the KTG Express Committee,
06:30the KTG Express Committee
06:31has improved the process
06:33and from 4 hours to 20 minutes
06:35they passed the process
06:36of the installation of one wagon with a container.
06:39How are you helping simplify
06:41the cross-border formalities
06:42and how will that help
06:43with the regional coordination
06:44across the Central Asian states?
06:46As you know,
06:47on the Trans-Caspian transport network
06:49используется несколько транспортных прав.
06:52Несколько транспортных прав,
06:54когда коррелируется
06:55и стыковывается,
06:58мы теряем очень много времени.
07:00Для гармонизации данного процесса
07:02нам нужна цифровизация
07:04и, конечно же,
07:05с самого правого поля
07:07надо проводить введенный знаменатель.
07:10И на сегодняшний день
07:11это тоже работа начата
07:12и она ведется
07:14различными институтами развития,
07:16такими, как Азиатский банк развития.
07:18Going forward,
07:19how do you envision
07:20the regional connectivity
07:21of the region
07:22that's bound by the Trans-Caspian route?
07:24Все 5-6 стран
07:26Центральной Азии
07:28на сегодняшний день
07:29не имеют прямого выхода
07:30к Мировым океанам,
07:32тождественно к мировым рынкам.
07:34И для региона
07:35этот маршрут очень важен.
07:37Мы сейчас уже видим наших соседей,
07:40которые начинают подтягивать
07:42свою инфраструктуру,
07:43технологии
07:44и сопрягаться
07:46с уже выстроенной цепочкой,
07:48которая у нас
07:49на сегодняшний день есть.
07:50Thank you so much
07:51for your perspective today.
07:52Thank you.
07:54Bye for now
07:55and join us next time
07:56on East-West Connect.
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