At a recent meeting of the Kazakh-Finnish intergovernmental commission, discussions centered on the burgeoning cooperation between Kazakhstan and Finland in the realm of transport and logistics. Among the highlights was the unveiling of plans for joint container services from China to Finland, aimed at enhancing trade ties between the two nations. The announcement was made by the Vice Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan, Maksat Kaliakparov.
Highlighting the strategic importance of bolstering transit capabilities between Finland and Kazakhstan, Kaliakparov pointed to the rapidly evolving trade dynamics between China, Southeast Asian nations, and the European Union. Kazakhstan, positioned as the linchpin of the Middle Corridor, has emerged as a viable alternative to conventional East-West routes.
Cargo transshipment through the seaports of Aktau and Kuryk saw an 86% surge, with volumes nearly doubling to 2.8 mn tons. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), hailed as an eco-friendly corridor, has seen a reduction in transit times, now ranging from 14 to 18 days, with Kazakhstan legging at just 5 days. By the close of 2023, cargo transportation along the TITR soared by 65%.
Furthermore, Kaliakparov underscored the potential for direct cargo transportation between Kazakhstan and the EU. In 2023, railway transport witnessed a 25% uptick compared to the previous year, totaling 4.3 mn tons, while road transport recorded a 14% increase, amounting to 7.3 mn tons.
The initiative to develop container cargo transportation along the China-Finland-China route materialized through a Memorandum of Cooperation signed between KTZ Express and the Finnish logistics operator Nurminen Logistics Services Oy. The collaboration aims to advance cargo transportation and inaugurate joint container services from China to Finland, traversing the TITR via Kazakhstan.
"In 2022, 2,204 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) carrying various consolidated cargo traversed Kazakhstan along the China-Finland-China route. Import shipments via the TITR across the Black Sea from various European countries to Kazakhstan commenced in 2023, with 506 TEUs of consolidated cargo transported along the route," elaborated a spokesperson from the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan.
Additionally, the Finnish delegation was extended an invitation to explore prospects for joint investment ventures in the transport and logistics sector.
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