Kazakhstan to buy two container ships from AzerbaijanKazakhstan plans to purchase two cargo vessels with a capacity of 700 containers each from Azerbaijan by 2027, Transport Minister Nurlan Saurambayev said on Tuesday.“To increase container traffic across the Caspian Sea, two ships with a capacity of 700 containers each are planned to be purchased from Azerbaijan by 2027,” Saurambayev told a government meeting.The Transport Ministry’s press service told Interfax-Kazakhstan that the project also envisions the construction of universal ferries capable of transporting both railcars and automobiles. “At present, work is underway jointly with Azerbaijan to analyze the project,” the ministry said.Saurambayev added that work is actively progressing to modernize the seaports of Aktau and Kuryk as part of the development of the Caspian hub. By year-end, the first phase of a container hub at the Aktau port — a joint project with China’s Lianyungang — will be completed. Once fully implemented, the hub’s annual capacity will reach 200,000 containers.Earlier reports said Kazakhstan’s Samruk-Kazyna and Azerbaijan’s AZCON had signed a memorandum of cooperation to strengthen partnership in developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).The agreement also includes provisions for operating new RoPax-class ferries on the Caspian Sea, to be built at the Baku Shipyard. RoPax vessels are designed to carry both passengers and vehicles, including cars, railcars and cargo. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX