The reshaping of global trade has significantly increased the strategic importance of the Caspian region. Against the backdrop of this transformation, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are gradually moving beyond the framework of a traditional transit partnership, entering a phase of deeper economic integration that encompasses trade, logistics, and large-scale infrastructure projects. At the center of this process stands the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (the Middle Corridor).
The Middle Corridor in Figures and the Speed Advantage
According to sea-news.az this corridor, which connects China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and Europe, has demonstrated record growth rates in recent years:
- Cargo volume: Over the past seven years, shipments along the route have increased more than 5-fold, reaching 4.5 million tons. This indicator is expected to rise to 5.2 million tons in the current year.
- Container targets: It is planned to increase container shipments approximately four times, reaching 300,000 TEU by 2029.
- Current year dynamics: In the first quarter of 2026, 125 container trains passed through the territory of Kazakhstan, which is 34.4% more compared to the corresponding period of last year.
- Speed and efficiency: Cargo departing from the Chinese city of Xi’an reaches the European Union’s border with Turkey in just 13–14 days. This offers an alternative that is faster than sea freight and significantly cheaper than air transport.
Kazakhstan’s Caspian Strategy: Fleet and Ports
Through the Middle Corridor, Kazakhstan is both boosting its transit revenues and gaining direct access to new global markets:
- Kuryk Port: The volume of cargo handling increased by 22%, rising to 2.45 million tons.
- Merchant fleet: The country aims to expand its merchant fleet in the Caspian Sea from the current 18 vessels to 32 vessels by 2028.
- Aktau Port: The new container hub terminal, jointly established with China’s “Lianyungang Port” company, will increase the terminal’s annual capacity from 70,000 TEU to 300,000 TEU.
Azerbaijan’s Strengthening Logistics Position
As the key link of the corridor, Azerbaijan is maximizing the expansion of its infrastructure capabilities:
- Baku International Sea Trade Port (Alat): A record container handling volume of 120,000 TEU is planned for 2026. With the completion of the second phase of expansion, the port’s total throughput capacity will reach 25 million tons per year.
- Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway: The line, which was put back into operation in a fully renovated state at the beginning of June, will see its annual throughput capacity rise from 1 million tons to 5 million tons when operating at full capacity.
Expert Opinion
Azerbaijani transport expert Rauf Agamirzayev praised the new economic configuration taking shape in the region:
“The Caspian does not separate us; on the contrary, it unites us. In recent years, the cooperation between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan has gone far beyond traditional trade to cover transport, logistics, shipbuilding, and infrastructure development. Today, the Middle Corridor is becoming an integral part of the global transport system, turning this development route into the foundation of deeper economic cooperation rather than just a transit line.”
