ASTANA - Kazakhstan's national railway company, KTZ, has announced the start of building its own seagoing fleet to develop the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, known in Europe as the Middle Corridor, Forbes.kz reports.
A subsidiary of the company has signed contracts for the construction of six general-purpose cargo container ships. Four of the ships will be built at a shipyard in China, and two more at the Baku Shipyard in Azerbaijan.
The new river-sea vessels will be able to carry up to 9,900 tons of cargo or up to 537 containers. They are designed for operations in the Caspian and Black Seas, strengthening transport links between Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Europe.
Kazakhstan hopes that its own fleet will improve the sustainability of the route, reduce dependence on third-party carriers, and expedite cargo delivery between China and European markets.
The ships will comply with international environmental and technical standards, including IMO and MARPOL. The French company Bureau Veritas will oversee classification and safety.
KTZ noted that the project should strengthen Kazakhstan's position as a key transit hub between Asia and Europe.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
May 2, 2026