Kazakhstan has begun recalibrating its oil export logistics amid ongoing restrictions affecting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), a vital conduit for the country’s crude supplies to global markets.
The redirection was carried out through the pipeline system operated by KazTransOil, allowing crude to be shipped towards a range of destinations, including Germany and China, as well as via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route and through the ports of Novorossiysk and Ust-Luga. According to KazMunayGas, these measures will not be confined to the end of 2025. With CPC intake restrictions still in force, the company says the reallocation of volumes is set to continue into January 2026.
These short-term adjustments sit alongside a broader trend of gradual diversification in Kazakhstan’s export flows. Data for 2025 show a steady rise in crude shipments to Germany, where Kazakh oil supplies the Schwedt refinery. Deliveries reached 2.1 million tonnes last year, and volumes are expected to increase to 2.5 million tonnes in 2026. Exports to China, by contrast, have remained stable, totalling 1.1 million tonnes in 2025, underlining Beijing’s continued role as a reliable outlet for Kazakh crude.
The logistical reshuffle follows a sharp escalation in security risks around export infrastructure. On 29 November 2025, the CPC was attacked, an incident that immediately drew a formal response from Astana. The pipeline carries about 80 per cent of Kazakhstan’s export oil, making it a cornerstone of an economy where hydrocarbons form the backbone of state revenues. The following day, the Foreign Ministry described the strike as an act of aggression and issued a diplomatic protest, accusing Ukraine of a targeted assault on critical infrastructure.
By mid-December, the financial impact was already apparent. Energy Minister Erlan Akkenzhenov said the restrictions had led to losses of around 480 000 tonnes of oil, while stressing that the country would still meet its overall targets for 2025. He acknowledged, however, that the attack on the CPC had had a clear and measurable effect on export operations.
Tensions rose further in January 2026, when attacks extended to maritime transport linked to Kazakh oil shipments. On 13 January, two tankers waiting to load crude were targeted by unmanned aerial vehicles. The Matilda, sailing under the Maltese flag and chartered by a subsidiary of KazMunayGas, suffered an onboard explosion, though no critical damage was reported. A second vessel, the Delta Harmony, flying the Liberian flag, was also struck while awaiting loading.
Against this backdrop, Kazakhstan is pressing ahead with efforts to reduce its dependence on a single export corridor. The emphasis on alternative routes reflects both an immediate response to disruption and a longer-term attempt to strengthen resilience in an increasingly volatile regional environment, where energy security has become inseparable from geopolitics.
Argentina and Uruguay on Thursday became the first founding members of the Mercosur bloc to ratify a long-awaited free trade agreement with the Europe...
Nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran in Geneva have been described as “positive”, according to a report by Axios citing a U.S. ...
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received a phone call from Qatar’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi on Thursday, a...
The United States is expected to deploy six additional aerial refuelling aircraft to Israel as Washington continues to strengthen its military presenc...
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday (26 February) that she had no information about the criminal activities of Jeffrey Eps...
Argentina and Uruguay on Thursday became the first founding members of the Mercosur bloc to ratify a long-awaited free trade agreement with the European Union, paving the way for one of the world’s largest free trade zones.
Nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran in Geneva have been described as “positive”, according to a report by Axios citing a U.S. official.
The United States is expected to deploy six additional aerial refuelling aircraft to Israel as Washington continues to strengthen its military presence in the Middle East while nuclear negotiations with Iran remain under way.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, arrived in Geneva and may hold talks with U.S. officials, according to the RIA news agency.
A F-16 fighter jet of the Turkish Air Force crashed near a highway in western Türkiye early on Wednesday (25 February), killing its pilot, officials and media reports confirmed.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz agreed on Wednesday in Beijing to strengthen economic cooperation while addressing trade imbalances, market access concerns, and the war in Ukraine, during Merz’s first official visit to China since taking office.
U.S. President Donald Trump declared a “golden age” for America in his first second-term State of the Union on Tuesday evening, delivering the longest-ever address at more than 90 minutes. Here are the main takeaways.
President Donald Trump delivered the first State of the Union address of his second term to Congress on Wednesday (25 February), declaring that America’s “golden age” had begun and that the country was experiencing a “turnaround for the ages.”
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 25th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received a phone call from Qatar’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi on Thursday, as fresh border clashes erupted between Pakistani and Afghan forces.
Ankara has rejected media reports claiming it plans to deploy military forces into Iranian territory in the event of a U.S. attack on the Islamic republic.
Georgia’s path towards European Union membership is facing its most serious crisis to date, with senior European lawmakers warning that the country is now a “candidate in name only” and accusing the ruling government of reversing democratic progress and drifting away from Europe.
As Iran and the United States continue with nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday, Tehran’s extensive ballistic missile programme remains a central point of contention.
More than 11 million Afghans have been displaced or have returned to the country between 2021 and 2025, as drought, floods and mass returns from neighbouring states deepen an already fragile humanitarian crisis, according to a new report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment