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Deputy chairman: Kazakhstan taking preventive measures over declining Caspian Sea water level

Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Yerlan Koishibayev

25 September 2026 15:56 (UTC +04:00)

The partnership between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan is of particular importance for the further development of the Middle Corridor, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Yerlan Koishibayev said during a panel discussion titled “Azerbaijan at the Center of South Caucasus–Central Asia Strategic Partnerships: A Key Driver of Regional Cooperation” held as part of the 2nd Azerbaijan International Investment Forum, APA reports.

He said that the development of the Middle Corridor is not merely about creating an alternative transport route, but about establishing a reliable, competitive and sustainable logistics system connecting China, Central Asia, the Caspian region and Europe: “One of the key factors determining the future potential of the Middle Corridor is the growing demand for the route. Over the past three years, container transit from China via the Middle Corridor has increased 38-fold. Currently, transporting containers on the China-Europe route via the Middle Corridor takes 13–17 days. The goal is to reduce this period to 10–12 days. To this end, a single operator and a ‘single window’ system have been established between the railways of China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The aim is to ensure digital data exchange, synchronize operations and manage transportation more efficiently,” he said.

The Kazakh official also noted that infrastructure in the Caspian Sea plays an important role in the development of the Middle Corridor: “Kazakhstan is taking preventive measures in connection with the declining water level of the Caspian Sea. Following the completion of the construction of a new pier at the Port of Aktau, it is planned to increase the port’s depth from 4.5 meters to 8 meters."