Company proposes underground tunnel linking Caspian and Black Seas

Tengrinews.kz - Azerbaijan’s ADOG company and the international port of Zira have unveiled an ambitious proposal to construct an underground tunnel connecting the Caspian and Black Seas, citing Minval.az.

The project envisions a 10-meter diameter tunnel stretching from the Black Sea - potentially from the Georgian or Russian side - directly to the Caspian. Thanks to the natural difference in sea levels, water from the Black Sea could flow into the Caspian without the need for pumps.

“The initiative aims to stabilize the water balance of the Caspian Sea, whose levels have been rapidly declining in recent years, posing serious ecological, economic and infrastructure risks to coastal countries,” the statement reads.

The company emphasized that the project would include full environmental monitoring and biodiversity protection measures. ADOG has expressed readiness to begin preparing a feasibility study and mobilizing necessary resources.

The proposal’s authors are urging governments to consider the idea at the state level and to instruct relevant authorities to begin preliminary consultations.

The Caspian’s ecological crisis has been a growing concern. Recently, the issue was discussed in Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis, where Vadim Ni, founder of the Save the Caspian Sea movement, addressed lawmakers. In July 2024, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on Turkic states to unite in tackling the environmental challenges facing the Caspian and Aral Seas.