Kazakhstan has launched a strategic dredging project at the ERSAI industrial port, part of the Caspian Sea’s Kuryk Port, aimed at boosting its cargo-handling capacity and reinforcing its role as a key transit hub along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). Also known as the Middle Corridor, the TITR connects China to Europe via Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the project will deepen the port’s waters and approach channel to five meters, enabling year-round navigation.

The initiative is fully financed by ERSAI, which is constructing its own Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD 650), named ERSAI 5, to carry out the dredging works between January and June 2026.

Dredging is a core component of ERSAI’s broader expansion strategy, which also includes launching a new container terminal and expanding shipbuilding and repair operations.

Located on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, south of the Aktau port, Kuryk’s ferry complex handles a variety of cargo, including grain, oil products, fertilizers, and chemicals. However, falling water levels in the Caspian have forced vessels to operate below full capacity to avoid grounding.

As of early 2025, the Caspian Sea’s water level had declined by roughly two meters since 2006, posing growing challenges for Kazakhstan’s maritime logistics.

In response, Kazakhstan has prioritized dredging efforts. In May 2025, the Ministry of Transport began deepening the Aktau port by 1.5 to 2 meters to expand its terminal capacity.

Kuryk has already undergone a previous phase of deepening, completed in November 2024, which increased the port’s depth to 7-8 meters.

The latest dredging project reflects Kazakhstan’s broader strategy to strengthen its maritime infrastructure and maintain the competitiveness of its ports amid shifting environmental and logistical conditions in the Caspian region.

Kazakhstan has ranked 60th out of 195 countries in the Government AI Readiness Index 2025, published by the international analytical centre Oxford Insights, emerging as the leader in Central Asia for government preparedness to adopt and manage artificial intelligence. The ranking was highlighted by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.

The Government AI Readiness Index evaluates governments’ ability to apply AI across public administration, economic activity and social sectors, as well as to create conditions for its safe, responsible and sustainable use. The index covers 195 countries and is the only international ranking focused exclusively on the role of the state in fostering AI development.

Over the past year, Kazakhstan climbed 16 positions in the ranking, improving its standing from 76th place in the previous edition. Regionally, the country now leads all Central Asian states, reinforcing its reputation as one of the most advanced digital economies in the region. According to the ministry, the rise reflects strengthening institutional capacity, expanded infrastructure and the active integration of AI solutions in public services.

Kazakhstan’s strongest performance was in the Public Sector Adoption category, where it scored 73.59 points. This metric highlights the widespread use of digital technologies within government services, the development of egovernment platforms and the shift toward proactive digital interaction with citizens and businesses.

The Oxford Insights report notes that Kazakhstan’s competitive edge is rooted in its welldeveloped digital and telecommunications infrastructure. National digital platforms, high internet penetration and a mature ecosystem of egovernment services provide a strong foundation for scaling AI solutions nationwide. The report also cites the country’s political and managerial readiness: a suite of strategic policy documents, an emerging regulatory framework and sustained government focus on AI have enabled the development of a longterm and systematic national strategy.

Despite progress, both the report’s authors and the ministry identify key areas for further growth. The next phase of Kazakhstan’s AI ecosystem development will require accelerating the commercialisation of AI technologies, strengthening the private technology sector and startup ecosystem, and expanding business access to data and financing instruments.

Earlier this year, The Times of Central Asia reported that Kazakhstan launched the most powerful supercomputer in Central Asia, a cornerstone of its strategy to position AI as a driver of both local and global economic growth.

Authorities in Kazakhstan’s Mangistau region, located on the Caspian Sea coast, have announced plans to significantly expand domestic salmon farming, with the aim of replacing up to 60% of the country’s salmon imports within five years.

At a press conference in Astana, regional governor Nurdaulet Kilybay said fisheries are emerging as a key pillar in efforts to diversify the regional economy. Between 2025 and 2027, four major aquaculture projects are planned, including the industrial farming of marine salmon species in offshore cage systems. Currently, Kazakhstan imports over 8,000 tons of salmon annually, primarily from European suppliers.

“Next year, by producing 1,300 tons of salmon, we will reduce imports by about 16%. By 2029, we aim to increase production to 5,000 tons, which will replace about 60% of the country’s imports,” Kilybay said.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture has previously highlighted cage fish farming, raising fish in controlled, semi-open water environments, as one of the most promising aquaculture formats in the country.

A flagship project in Mangistau is being implemented by Organic Fish LLP, with a planned capacity of 5,000 tons of sea trout per year. The company has received preferential financing for equipment and sea cage installation. In autumn, approximately 10,000 juvenile trout were released into the Caspian Sea, with some expected to reach market size by next year.

Since 2021, 44 cage farms have been launched across Kazakhstan, concentrated in the East Kazakhstan, Almaty, and Turkestan regions. Of the country’s total annual fish production, estimated at 20,000 tons, about 3,500 tons now come from cage farming. By 2027, 39 new aquaculture projects are planned under the national fisheries development strategy. In total, roughly 600 fish farms of various types currently operate across the country.

According to official data, Kazakhstan’s fish market grew by 9.3% in 2024, reaching 96,600 tons, up from 88,300 tons the previous year.

However, exports declined by 11% to 23,400 tons, despite consistent demand for Kazakhstani fish in over 20 countries. The drop has been attributed to changes in logistics and rising delivery costs to the European Union.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, a new fish processing facility opened in the Kyzylorda region in October, marking another milestone in the recovery of Kazakhstan’s fishing industry, including in the Aral Sea basin.