ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 20. The volume of container transshipment through the Aktau seaport of Kazakhstan reached 7,400 TEU in the first quarter of 2024, TurkicWorld reports.

According to Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ, a national company), this is 1,840 TEU, or 33 percent more than in the first quarter of 2023.

At the same time, 6,400 TEUs from the aforementioned volume were processed along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor). This figure has climbed by 85 percent since last year.

The Kazakh Aktau seaport is part of the Middle Corridor, which ensures cargo is dispatched to Azerbaijan's Baku port for further sale to European countries. The Kazakh government is pursuing a variety of projects to expand this port in order to increase future cargo traffic via the Middle Corridor. A huge container hub is being created at the port, cargo berths are being rebuilt, and dredging is happening.

The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern Corridor and Southern Corridor.

The route starts in China and crosses Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then passes through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching Europe.

The Middle Corridor offers a land route that connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe, bypassing the longer maritime routes.