Building a significant dry port and logistics center on the border with China, as planned by Kazakhstan.
Kolzhat Dry Port to Undergo Major Expansion Under Belt and Road Initiative
The Kolzhat Dry Port in Kazakhstan is set for a significant transformation, with plans to modernize the checkpoint and accommodate soaring cross-border trade flows. The development project, located at the Kazakhstan-China border, spans 8,500 hectares and is part of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The initial plans, unveiled in May 2024, covered two stages (2024-2027). The first phase, due by the end of 2026, will establish a 200-hectare logistics zone with an investment of 25 billion tenge (US$46.2 million). This phase will include 45,000 square metres of warehouses, a temporary storage facility, a container terminal, a cross-border trade hub, an e-commerce platform, residential and industrial zones.
By 2026, a truck parking area for 300 vehicles headed to China and a storage site for 500 vehicles will be in place, with space for an additional 500 trucks to be ready by year-end.
The second phase (2026-2028) of the Kolzhat Dry Port development will focus on an industrial zone for export-oriented production and processing, backed by 50 billion tenge (US$92.5 million). This phase will also include low-temperature storage facilities due to growing Chinese demand for livestock products.
The third phase (2028-2030) of the Kolzhat Dry Port development will add commercial infrastructure such as retail, hotels, and exhibition spaces, with an additional investment of 50 billion tenge (US$92.5 million).
According to projections, cargo volumes through the Kolzhat Dry Port checkpoint are expected to triple by 2030, from 400,000 tons in 2023 to 1.4 million tons annually. By 2040, cargo volumes are expected to reach 2.3 million tons annually.
The Kolzhat Dry Port development project also includes the creation of an International Digital Transport and Logistics Hub, covering 8,500 hectares. The remaining 7,400 hectares of the Kolzhat Dry Port complex will be dedicated to agriculture.
The project for modernizing the border crossing and creating the International Digital Transport and Logistics Hub at the Kazakhstan-China border was initiated under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) led by China, involving key Chinese policy banks and investment funds such as the Silk Road Fund. The implementation phases typically include infrastructure development, digital and energy cooperation, and enhancement of transport corridors, though specific phase details are not fully outlined in the provided sources.
The Kolzhat Dry Port, a major transport and logistics hub, is being constructed at Kazakhstan's border with China, and is expected to play a significant role in facilitating trade between the two countries and beyond.
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