BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 10. Nearly 20% of the 1.9 million tons of petroleum products shipped through Turkmenistan's Kenar oil loading terminal since the beginning of 2026 were exported.
This figure was calculated by Trend based on the official data from a press release issued by Turkmennebit State Concern.
"Since the beginning of the year, the Kenar oil storage and loading enterprise has supplied 1.89 million tons of petroleum products to domestic and foreign consumers, including more than 372,000 tons exported to external markets," the statement said.
According to Turkmennebit, the terminal handled exports of aviation kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene and lubricants produced at the Turkmenbashi Complex of Oil Refineries (TCOR).
The concern said the terminal's automated railway loading facility has an annual capacity of 3.9 million tons of light petroleum products, while its third marine berth can load up to 2.1 million tons of petroleum products and receive up to 1.2 million tons of crude oil and refined products annually.
The company added that the railway terminal incorporates a vapor recovery system capable of preventing the annual loss of more than 300 tons of gasoline during loading operations, while automated weighing and documentation systems have been introduced to improve operational efficiency.
Trend's analysis shows that Turkmenistan's growing emphasis on value-added production reflects both domestic industrial priorities and shifts in global commodity markets. Rather than expanding exports of raw hydrocarbons alone, Ashgabat has increasingly invested in petrochemicals, refined petroleum products, mineral fertilizers and construction materials, allowing the country to generate higher export revenues from the same resource base while reducing exposure to commodity price volatility. The approach also aligns with the broader industrial strategies pursued by other resource-rich economies seeking to strengthen manufacturing and export resilience.
Another important factor is the heightened focus on energy security following the disruption of global supply chains during the Iran conflict and the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz. According to the International Energy Agency, the crisis became the largest disruption in the history of the global oil market, prompting strategic stock releases and exposing the vulnerability of international fuel and petrochemical supply chains. At the same time, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development warned that disruptions in the Gulf affected not only crude oil but also refined petroleum products, fertilizers and other industrial commodities, reinforcing the importance of diversified and geographically distributed production capacity.
Against this backdrop, expanding domestic processing industries positions Turkmenistan to meet rising regional demand for refined fuels, bitumen, polymers and fertilizers, particularly from neighboring Central Asian markets pursuing large-scale infrastructure, industrial and agricultural projects. The World Bank projects Central Asia's economy to grow by an average of 4.9% over 2026-2027, supported by resilient domestic demand, investment and trade, although at a slower pace than in recent years.
Combined with the ongoing development of the Middle Corridor and other Eurasian transport routes, higher-value industrial exports offer the country greater flexibility to respond to changing trade flows while strengthening its role as both a manufacturing and transit hub.
