Kazakhstan's Middle Corridor Posts Sharp Increase in Container Traffic

Container traffic along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), widely known as the Middle Corridor, recorded significant growth in May 2026, highlighting the corridor's increasing importance as a strategic trade link between Asia and Europe.

According to Kazmortransflot, Kazakhstan's national maritime carrier, 7,451 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) were transported on the Aktau–Alyat (Baku) route during May—more than double the 3,359 TEUs handled during the same period in 2025.

The record performance reflects growing demand for the Middle Corridor, which connects China and Central Asia with Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye. The route continues to strengthen its position as a key alternative to traditional Eurasian transport corridors.

Kazmortransflot attributed the increase to improved fleet utilization and more efficient cargo distribution across its vessels, including the container ships Barys, Berkut, and Sunkar, alongside the dry cargo vessels Turkistan and Beket Ata. The optimized deployment enabled more frequent sailings between Kazakhstan's Port of Aktau and Azerbaijan's Port of Alyat, increasing transport capacity and reducing transit intervals.

A subsidiary of Kazakhstan's national oil and gas company KazMunayGas, Kazmortransflot serves as the official maritime operator on the Middle Corridor. Since launching regular container services in 2019, the company has transported more than 210,000 TEUs between Aktau and Alyat using its own fleet, equivalent to approximately 2.7 million tonnes of cargo.

The latest figures underscore Kazakhstan's growing role as a regional logistics hub and reinforce the strategic significance of the Middle Corridor in facilitating international trade, supporting supply chain diversification, and enhancing connectivity between East and West.