Kazakhstan prepares intergovernmental agreement to boost Middle Corridor trade

The Kazakh government will soon begin preparations for an intergovernmental agreement to further develop the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor (TMTM), also known as the Middle Corridor, Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev announced at a government meeting.

“Along the TMTM route, delivery times have been reduced from 53 days to 17 days. Over the past three years, tariffs have remained stable and have not changed since 2023,” Sauranbayev said, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

He also highlighted that the introduction of digital technologies has significantly shortened cargo processing times on the corridor—from eight hours down to just 30 minutes. Train movements are now monitored online, ensuring “uninterrupted” transit along the route.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor is a key international transport route that passes through China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and onward to Turkey and European countries.

In 2024, cargo volumes along the corridor rose by 62%, reaching 4.5 million tons. In 2025, further growth is expected, with total shipments projected at 5.2 million tons, of which 4.2 million tons will pass through the route’s participating countries. Of this volume, 2.5 million tons will consist of dry cargo (equivalent to 96,000 TEU), and 1.7 million tons will be oil.

By 2027, the corridor’s annual capacity could reach 10 million tons.

By Tamilla Hasanova