Mangystau region to build shipyard, logistics hub

The Prime Minister was informed about the projects aimed at developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) and expanding domestic production capacity.

At the Aktau International Airport, the Prime Minister was briefed on the region’s transport and logistics potential, which plays a key role in the development of the TITR due to its access to the Caspian Sea and modern port infrastructure.

Over the past three years, container transit through Kazakhstan's ports has increased 3.8-fold, reaching 42,000 TEUs, with their combined throughput capacity reaching approximately 200,000 TEUs per year.

Bektenov was also presented with a project of building a modern shipyard on the Caspian Sea coast, with investment volumes totaling at least 125 billion tenge.

According to Hüseyin Arslan, Chairman of YDA Group, the company will provide a full range of services - from the design and construction of civilian and specialized vessels to their maintenance and overhaul. The shipyard will also manufacture unmanned surface vehicles. It will have the capacity to build up to eight new vessels and repair up to 24 vessels annually. Once operational, the facility is expected to create 1,500 permanent jobs.

The Prime Minister was also briefed on the project to create a multimodal logistics and aviation hub at Aktau Airport. The complex will combine aircraft maintenance and repair, cargo aviation, personnel training, and logistics, integrating air, sea, rail, and road transport. Over 200 aircraft maintenance operations and up to 60 paint works are planned to be carried out annually. The project's implementation is expected to create 3,500 permanent jobs.

The Prime Minister was also informed about the plans to build the first phase of a multifunctional terminal at the Port of Kuryk. The project is being implemented under the agreements reached during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's working visit to China in July of this year.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of Guoyou Materials Group, Yu Boyang, announced that the company will invest 470 billion tenge in the project. It includes the creation of an automated container terminal, construction of a railway line with connection to the national grid, and the supply of container ships and ferries.

The first phase will have a throughput capacity of up to 15 million tons of cargo per year. Construction is scheduled for 2026-2028. The second phase will be completed in 2029-2031, with commissioning in 2032. Upon completion, the entire complex will have a capacity of approximately 25 million tons per year, with the possibility of further expansion. The project will employ up to 800 people, provide training for local technical specialists, and gradually localize operations.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of the projects for further developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. The establishment of a modern shipbuilding base, a multimodal aviation and logistics hub, and a multifunctional terminal in the port of Kuryk will expand the Middle Corridor's transport infrastructure, improve the sustainability of transportation, and strengthen the role of Mangystau region and the city of Aktau as the country's most important transport and logistics hub.

Olzhas Bektenov tasked central government agencies and the administration of Mangystau region to ensure high-quality and timely implementation of the projects. Particular attention must be paid to complying with construction deadlines, attracting investment, creating permanent jobs, localizing production, and achieving concrete benefits for the region's population and economy.

Earlier, it was reported that a Chinese firm would build a multifunctional port of Kuryk in Kazakhstan's Mangystau region.