Aktau Caspian seaport to be managed by foreign operator

Kazakhstan-based Caspian seaport of Aktau currently undergoing an expansion project might be transferred into foreign management, Trend Agency reports, citing Kairat Karmanov, Vice Chairman of the Kaznex Invest [Agency for Promotion of Kazakh Exports and Investments]. “A Spanish company is showing keen interest in managing the port. Kazakhstan is hosting a Spanish delegation to study the opportunities (…) Besides, some Turkish companies are also interested”, he said, adding that the foreign companies are not only willing to operate the facility, but also inject investments. Built in 1963 on the east shore of the Caspian Sea, Aktau port is the only water gates to international routes for Kazakhstan’s dry cargoes, crude and petroleum products. It is planned to bring the capacity of Aktau seaport in Kazakhstan to 18 million tons of cargoes by 2020, Tengrinews.kz reported late May 2013, citing Kazakhstan Minister of Regional Development Bakytzhan Sagintayev.