Jan De Nul secures major Middle Corridor contract

Jan De Nul Group has secured contracts to develop new port facilities in Georgia and Kazakhstan, aiming to boost trade along the Middle Corridor.

The company will construct a new deep-water port in Anaklia, Georgia, capable of handling 600,000 containers annually. Additionally, it will expand the Kuryk Port in Kazakhstan through capital dredging works.

These projects are designed to address bottlenecks along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, a key trade corridor connecting Europe and Asia. By increasing port capacity, the company aims to facilitate smoother cargo movement and enhance the overall efficiency of the route.

The maritime trade route through the Caspian and Black Seas is a dependable alternative to the northern route through Russia or the southern route via the Suez Canal. However, the current seaports act as bottlenecks for cargo using the route. To address these challenges, the construction of a new deep-water port in Anaklia, Georgia will expand cargo capacity by 600,000 containers. Additionally, the expansion of the Kuryk port in Kazakhstan will also help alleviate these issues.

Stefan Muntoiu, Business Development Manager at Jan De Nul Group, said, “These projects will have a big economic impact on the region. The Georgia and Kazakhstan governments made firm decisions. We are proud to take part in the development of this important trade route.“

Another challenge for the development of the Middle Corridor is the dropping sea level of the Caspian Sea due to climate change. This poses a major threat to nature and biodiversity, and also risks restricting transport through the Caspian Sea.

“For sea level changes, we are actively discussing possible solutions with Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, among others,” Muntoiu said.