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New Europe (7 October 2020)

Nur-Sultan

Deputies of the Mazhilis, Kazakhstan’s Lower House of Parliament, approved the draft law On Ratification of the Agreement on Shipping that will increase the transit potential of Kazakhstani ports in Caspian Sea along the Trans-Caspian international transport route, Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Berik Kamaliyev said during the presentation of the bill to MPs on October 7.

He noted that the purpose of the Agreement on Shipping is to simplify the permitting procedure for the transit passage of ships on the inland waterways of the countries. “The agreement defines the period for consideration of the application for a transit passage – 10 days, the issuance of the permit will be carried out by the authorised ministry. From all countries participating in this agreement only Russia has inland waterways, along which transit navigation of ships is possible. Currently, a permit for a transit passage is issued by the government of the Russian Federation, and it takes three to six months,” Kamaliev said.

The vice -minister clarified that now cargoes from ports on the Black Sea to Kazakh ports are delivered in transit through the Volga-Don shipping channel. Since only Kazakh companies will be able to simplify the procedure for passage through the inland waterways of Russia, already now the Caspian countries (Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan), which are not members of the Eurasian Union, are showing interest in using Kazakh carriers to transport goods from ports in the Caspian to ports on the Black Sea.

“Thus, the transit potential of Kazakhstani ports along the Trans-Caspian international transport route is increasing. If the agreement will be approved finally, the number of transit traffic through the Russian waterways will increase to 250-300 thousand tons of cargo per year, by 2025,” Kamaliyev said.

The bill approved by the Majilis deputies was sent to the Senate.

https://www.neweurope.eu/article/kazakhstan-to-boost-trans-caspian-international-transport-route-potential/