Kazakhstan intends to expand its logistics infrastructure by five more transport hubs. The hubs are supposed to expand the capacity of the Eurasian transport network. The Central Asian country also plans to introduce AI into its rail operations and expand its railway infrastructure.
At a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union, Kazakh president Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev outlined his vision for the future of the Kazakh railway network. Tokayev announced that Kazakhstan intends to expand its logistics network by building five additional transport hubs on the borders with China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and at the Caspian Sea shore.
Moreover, the country will build an additional five thousand kilometres of rail and repair over eleven thousand kilometres.
Maintaining success
Tokayev explained that the existing transport network has facilitated trade in all directions but that it needs upgrading. “Today, the Eurasian transport network guarantees effective trade connections between Europe and Asia, north and south. However, in the coming decades, the wear-and-tear of Eurasian infrastructure will become more tangible.”
“For that reason, the modernisation and expansion of the transport and logistics network is a priority question. It is not without reason that they say that new rails mean tracks to new opportunities”, Tokayev added.
The president also pointed out that a previous Chinese-Kazakh hub achieved tangible success. “Within the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, a Kazakhstani terminal has been built in the Chinese city of Xi’an, where forty per cent of all China-Europe container volumes are formed.
The introduction of AI
Kazakhstan not only plans to expand its rail infrastructure, but also to improve efficiency. “We are already planning to use elements of AI in rail freight next year”, Tokayev stated. “The use of innovative technologies will allow us to significantly raise the efficiency of transportation and to optimise expenditures.”
Moreover, the Kazakh president proposed to create a Eurasian ‘digital corridor’ in order to harmonise the processing of tariffs and customs procedures. “As a practical measure, we propose to implement a mechanism of remote checking of all goods registration documents with the help of QR codes and mutual recognition of digital documents.”
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