News / Overland opportunities surge in central Asia as Kazakhstan becomes key

© Vitalij Sova

Amid Russia’s sanction-induced reorientation of its supply chains and the conflict in Ukraine, central Asian countries have seen surging overland opportunities.

Reporting on its first half performance, Kazakhstan’s KTZ Rail said volumes had increased by a whopping 86% year on year, as shippers sought alternative connections between China and Europe, with exports up 250%.

Much of the growth has been driven by a remodelling of supply chains from Russia towards the Middle Corridor.

Described by Kazakh president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as the world’s “main ...