Kazakhstan to build major dry port and logistics hub on Chinese border

Kazakhstan is moving forward with the construction of a major transport and logistics hub, the Kolzhat Dry Port, at its border with China, LS.com reported on 15 September.

Spanning 8,400 hectares, the complex will reserve 1,000 hectares for transport, logistics, and industrial facilities, while the remaining 7,400 hectares will be dedicated to agriculture.

Planned facilities include 45,000 square metres of warehouses, a temporary storage facility, a container terminal, a cross-border trade hub, an e-commerce platform, as well as residential and industrial zones.

The first phase, due by the end of 2026, will establish a 200-hectare logistics zone with 25 billion tenge (US$46.2 million) in investment. Cargo volumes through the checkpoint are expected to triple by 2030, from 400,000 tons in 2023 to 1.4 million tons annually, and rise to 2.3 million tons by 2040.

The second phase (2026–2028) will focus on an industrial zone for export-oriented production and processing, backed by 50 billion tenge (US$92.5 million). Authorities highlighted growing Chinese demand for livestock products, prompting the inclusion of low-temperature storage facilities.

The third phase (2028–2030) will add commercial infrastructure such as retail, hotels, and exhibition spaces, with another 50 billion tenge (US$92.5 million) investment.

A truck parking area for 300 vehicles headed to China and a storage site for 500 vehicles are already in place, with space for an additional 500 trucks to be ready by year-end.

Initial plans for an International Digital Transport and Logistics Hub at Kolzhat were first unveiled in May 2024, covering 8,500 hectares and divided into two stages (2024–2027). The updated three-phase strategy significantly broadens the scope, aiming to modernise the checkpoint and accommodate soaring cross-border trade flows.

Tags

News Politics Kazakhstan