Kazakhstan plans cargo terminal at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port

Pars Today – Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy has announced plans to build a cargo terminal at Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran, saying the project will be financed by the private sector to boost the country's exports to markets in South and Southeast Asia.

According to Pars Today, citing IRNA, Serik Zhumangarin made the announcement on the sidelines of a joint session of Kazakhstan's two parliamentary chambers. He said Kazakhstan intends to construct a 15-hectare terminal at Shahid Rajaee Port for the unloading, loading, and transshipment of goods.

Zhumangarin said the terminal will facilitate the export of a wide range of Kazakh products and provide the country with more direct access to markets in South and Southeast Asia.

The Kazakh deputy prime minister also highlighted the existing railway corridor linking Kazakhstan to Iran via Turkmenistan. He said the route begins at Aktau Port, passes through Turkmenistan and the Atrak and Sarakhs border crossings, and connects to the Persian Gulf through Bandar Abbas.

He added that the transport corridor will provide Kazakhstan with access to markets in India, East Africa, the Persian Gulf region, and Southeast Asia, noting that the primary objective of the project is to capitalize on these opportunities.

Responding to a question about the types of goods to be exported through the terminal, Zhumangarin said that all categories of cargo could be shipped via the route.

According to Zhumangarin, Chabahar Port in southern Iran, located outside the Strait of Hormuz, could serve as an important alternative route for expanding regional trade and transportation. He added that Iran has also expressed its readiness to facilitate Kazakhstan's operations at Chabahar Port, which provides direct access to markets in South and Southeast Asia.