A new transport and logistics centre, Kusto Logistics has commenced operations in the Ili District. The facility is designed to handle up to 100,000 containers per year, El.kz reports citing the Akimat of Almaty region.
The new centre occupies an area of more than 26.5 hectares. The facility includes railway infrastructure, a container terminal, two warehouses, loading and unloading areas, a road terminal, and a control centre.
Total investment in the project amounted to KZT 28.1 bln. The facility is expected to create 100 jobs.
According to the regional governor, the advantageous location of the Ili District, its proximity to major transport corridors, and the availability of engineering infrastructure provide favourable conditions for the development of logistics projects.
“The commissioning of this facility is expected to contribute to strengthening Kazakhstan’s transport and logistics capacity,” Marat Sultangaziyev said.
Following the opening ceremony, the first container train departed from the terminal.
According to the company, approximately 80% of containerised cargo in Kazakhstan passes through the Almaty transport hub. The new terminal is intended to connect the northern and southern regions of the country and facilitate the transportation of imported and exported cargo to neighbouring states.
“Kazakhstan is a natural bridge connecting Asia and Europe. If we fully leverage this opportunity, transit could generate revenues for the national economy exceeding those from oil,” Kanat Kopbayev said.
A 45-tonne-capacity crane has been installed at the centre. The equipment can handle up to 25 containers per hour.
The facility has a monthly throughput capacity of more than 111,000 tonnes of cargo. A grain terminal is also currently under construction at the site, with a storage capacity of up to 14,000 tonnes of agricultural products.
The new centre will receive, store, handle, and dispatch cargo by rail and road. The facility was constructed under an EPC contract by Coteccons KZ.
