Joint Investment Fund for the Expansion of the Middle Corridor Infrastructure

In 2023, as a result of negotiations between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, it was decided to establish a joint investment fund, the volume of which was determined at $ 300 million.

In March 2025, an agreement was reached between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan on the first project of the joint investment fund - the expansion of the intermodal terminal at the Alyati port in Azerbaijan.

The prerequisite for the creation of the joint investment fund was the implementation of institutional projects between the countries. The scope of cooperation was determined immediately after the foundation of the fund - the implementation of logistics and infrastructure projects in the Aliati port economic zone in Azerbaijan and similar free economic zones in Kazakhstan, which together would be aimed at the development of the Middle Corridor. In addition, the countries agreed to use the financial resources of the Joint Investment Fund to build a fiber-optic highway on the Caspian Seabed within the framework of the “Digital Silk Road” project.

In 2024, the parties of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and China agreed to implement the construction direction of the project to expand the intermodal cargo terminal in the Aliati port of Azerbaijan within the framework of the Joint Investment Fund. The Chinese side is represented by the company Xi’an Free Trade Port Construction and Operation.

The first phase of the Aliati port complex was put into operation in 2018, which at the initial stage could handle 15 million tons of cargo and 100,000 TEU units annually. The port has the ability to receive Ro-Ro type ferry vessels.

The construction of Aliati port began in 2007, the general plan of the port complex was drawn up by the Dutch company Royal Haskoning, and the construction was carried out by the local Azerbaijani company Eurascon.

To increase the efficiency of loading and unloading operations, six new German-made cranes with a lifting capacity of 80, 40, and 32 tons were installed in the port. In addition, an infrastructure for the simultaneous placement of 1,000 containers was arranged.

By commissioning the new port, Azerbaijan did not assume the processing of cargo flows generated only in the middle corridor direction, taking into account that Azerbaijan is a full-fledged player in the North-South corridor of Russia - Azerbaijan - Iran, which has put into operation a powerful infrastructure facility in the form of the Alyati port at the intersection of the two corridors.

In 2023, the Alyati port processed 44 thousand TEU units, in the following year the number of containers processed increased by 73% and reached 77,000 TEU in 2024.

Currently, the existing container capacity of the Alyati port is 100,000 TEU units - 77% utilized. Considering the short-term perspective, it is expected that 600 block trains will pass through the middle corridor in 2025, it is clear how important the expansion of the Alyati port is.

The relevant decree of the President of Azerbaijan determined the increase in the current throughput capacity of the Alyati port from 15 to 25 million tons per year, and the gradual increase in container capacity to 500,000 TEU.

The financial resources of the joint investment fund will be primarily directed to the expansion of container capacity.

transcor.ge