Aktau port signs €10 mln EU grant agreement for infrastructure upgradeKazakhstan’s Aktau seaport has signed an agreement with the European Union for a €10 million non-repayable grant, the press service of national railway operator Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) said Monday.The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Tashkent Investors’ Forum on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).The grant is part of a broader support package that also includes a €35 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRR). The funds will be used to modernize Aktau port’s infrastructure, including the reconstruction and extension of two berths and the purchase of all-weather quay cranes.“With rising cargo volumes and expanding transit flows, the modernization will increase the port’s capacity by more than 0.5 million tonnes of general cargo and allow simultaneous handling of four full-size vessels,” KTZ said in the statement.The company noted that the EU previously announced it had earmarked €10 billion for development of the Trans-Caspian route.“As the central link of this corridor, Kazakhstan can expect upgrades to its port, railway and logistics infrastructure — strengthening its position as Central Asia’s leading transit hub and boosting transit revenues,” the national railway operator said.Earlier reports said the EBRD and the EU would jointly provide up to €45 million for the modernization of Aktau port infrastructure, including an EBRD loan of up to €35 million and an EU investment grant of up to €10 million.The project is part of the port’s investment program, which envisions the creation of the largest container terminal in the Caspian region by the end of 2026, with an expected capacity of up to 240,000 TEU per year.Located on the Caspian Sea, Aktau port is a key node of the Trans-Caspian transport corridor. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, links China and Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX