Kazakhstan aims to build a major trade and logistics hub, which will increase the throughput capacity of transit cargo leading to Central Asia towards Turkmenistan and Iran on the route Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran (KTI), Kazinform reported on Wednesday.
The hub will be located on the bypass railroad around Almaty to boost transit goods traffic from China to Central Asia.
Deputy Chairman of Kazakhstan Railways Yerlan Koyshibayev stated that bonded warehouses and cold chains will be established in the hub's area. A cargo airport, automotive terminal, railway, and dry port are also on consideration.
According to Kazakhstan Railways executives, if the Almaty hub is effective, it will be utilized to reach markets in the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. New routes are actively developed for this purpose, such as the North-South route through Iran to the Persian Gulf and the Trans-Caspian route.