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International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Thursday, 28.03.2024, 17:42

Kazakhstan proposes developing joint logistics center with Latvia at Chinese-Kazakh border

BC, Riga, 10.07.2017.Print version
Kazakhstan’s rail company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) has offered Latvia to develop a joint logistics center at the Chinese-Kazakh border, KTZ CEO Kanat Alpysbayev said while attending Transit and Logistics Week at Astana Expo 2017 today, informs LETA.

The head of the Kazakh rail company informed that Kazakhstan has already created a free economic zone, Khorgos-East Gate, at its border with China, which is a 150-hectare complex including an industrial area, a logistics center and a “dry port” for container cargos.


Alpysbayev said that cargo turnover between Latvia and Kazakhstan to hit its all-time high in 2012 when 3.4 million tons were shipped between the two countries, but that in following years cargo turnover declined. Meanwhile, the amount of container cargos shipped by KTZ last year doubled from a year before.


In order to increase international cargo deliveries, we need to concentrate on containers, not general cargo. I therefore propose developing a joint logistics center in the Khorgos-East Gate territory, which would allow arranging cargos and container trains from the Chinese border to Latvia much more effectively. I also propose developing a common transport tariff policy, said Alpysbayev.


The KTZ CEO also indicated that from 2008 to 2016 Kazakhstan invested USD 26 billion (EUR 30 billion) in the development of various Eurasian routes, and that it plans to invest another USD 6 billion (EUR 7 billion) by 2020. Since it became independent, Kazakhstan has constructed 2,200 kilometers of new railroads.


As reported, Astana Expo 2017 opened in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana on June 10, and Latvia is represented in the international fair with its own stand, the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported.


The expo's theme is "Future Energy", and it is aimed to concentrate on the future of energy and on innovative and practical energy solutions and their impacts.


The pavilion of Latvia is called “Energy in Our Nature”. Latvia demonstrates advantages of its geographical location and ways to create added value with Latvian companies and high-level experts in various areas.






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