Kazakhstan鈥檚 president on Thursday instructed officials to make the Trans-Caspian route a priority for the country鈥檚 oil exports.
In a high-level meeting with government officials and executives of state companies, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan鈥檚 ports should be 鈥渙ne of the leading hubs in the Caspian Sea.鈥�
Transport and logistics have a critical role in Kazakhstan鈥檚 economy, he told officials.
The current geopolitical situation and sanctions have broken the conventional transportation and logistics chains, he added, referring to the Ukraine war and measures taken against Russia by the West and its allies.
Measures to ensure the safe and uninterrupted export of domestic products are essential, he added.
On the need for diversifying trade routes, particularly for oil shipments, he said: 鈥淭he Trans-Caspian route is a priority. I instruct (national oil and gas firm) KazMunayGas to work out the best option for its implementation, including the possibility of attracting investors from the Tengiz project.鈥�
He said Kazakhstan has 鈥渘ot fully utilized the possibilities of sea transportation鈥� because it is not a maritime country.
Tokayev also proposed modernizing the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national railway operator and transforming it into 鈥渁 national transport and logistics company.鈥�
- Caspian Pipeline Consortium
A court in Russia鈥檚 Novorossiysk on Wednesday ordered the Caspian Pipeline Consortium to halt all activities for 30 days over environmental violations.
Kazakhstan鈥檚 Prime Minister Alihan Ismailov held an emergency meeting with government officials to iron out measures to minimize the 鈥渘egative consequences and losses of state budget because of Kazakh oil export restrictions,鈥� according to the premier鈥檚 office.
The consortium has appealed the court鈥檚 decision, asking for its implementation to be postponed as abrupt cessation of operations could have irreversible consequences on production.
Kazakh oil accounts for 80% of the volume pumped through the pipeline.鈥嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€�
By Meiramgul Kussainova in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr