Dredging in Aktau to boost cargo throughput by 30% and cut shipping costs

Port Aktau on the Caspian Sea began the main phase of dredging operations in October. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. According to the port administration, the work will increase cargo throughput along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) by up to 30% and reduce shipping costs by 10–15%.

The project cost is 20.6 billion tenge ($45.6 million), financed by the Kazakh government and the Ministry of Transport, partly through borrowed funds. China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) is the general contractor, responsible for the full project cycle — from geodetic surveys to sediment extraction.

The work covers 77.1 hectares of port waters, including approach channels. The dredging was prompted by falling water levels in the Caspian Sea. The port administration clarified that reports of a French company's involvement in the project are unfounded.