Rhenus Logistics and Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) are partnering up to further develop middle Corridor capacity and freight handling.
The German firm and Kazakh state-owned company aim at developing transhipment facilities in the Caspian Sea ports of Aktau and Kuryk, logistic centres in the wider Caspian region, and a container hub in Aktau. Additionally, they want to attract more transit cargo through the corridor.
Rhenus has been active in Central Asia for almost 30 years, already having the needed market knowledge to be involved in such transport projects. The two parties signed the cooperation MoU during the German presidential visit to Kazakhstan. Their partnership is part of a broader German-Kazakh approach to strengthening transport and logistics ties between the two states. After all, Kazakhstan is becoming one of Germany’s most important partners concerning the supply of energy materials.
The key for this route is not to expect rapid capacity increases since it is still relatively new. Indeed the pressure put on the Middle Corridor after the Russian route was excluded from several supply chains made it look insufficient. However, the corridor seems to be rebounding, and this year’s figures might show substantial growth compared to previous years. Consequently, partnerships like the one between Rhenus and KTZ will gradually help it grow even more and help Europe tap into new and needed markets.
