Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan agree to expand Middle Corridor freight traffic

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have agreed to expand cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, with the two countries' prime ministers instructing their national railway operators to develop a plan to increase freight volumes, according to the Kazakh government.

Prime Ministers Olzhas Bektenov and Abdulla Aripov tasked Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) and Uzbekistan Railways with preparing a concrete roadmap to boost cargo shipments along the route, Caliber.Az reports, citing Kazakh media.

The two prime ministers also visited the Aktau International Sea Trade Port, where they reviewed the port's infrastructure and cargo-handling facilities.

"The Mangystau Region is a strategically important border region with significant transit and logistics potential. Our task is to provide Central Asian cargo with fast and reliable access to the markets of the Caucasus, Türkiye and Europe. Kazakhstan is ready to expand the transit of Uzbekistan's export cargo through the ports of Aktau and Kuryk," Bektenov said.

The Aktau International Sea Trade Port is Kazakhstan's largest maritime hub and one of the key facilities on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. The port has an annual cargo-handling capacity of up to 12 million tonnes and provides year-round transport links with the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Caspian region.

According to KTZ, container transit via the TITR through Kazakhstan's ports increased 3.8-fold between 2022 and 2025. To accommodate further growth, the country is continuing to expand port capacity and modernize railway infrastructure.

Cargo handled through the ports of Aktau and Kuryk for Uzbekistan also increased by more than 60% in 2025, the statement added.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov