In Kazakhstan reconstruction of the sea port in Aktau is almost completed

/Almaty office of REUTERS, Aug.18, 99/ - One and only sea port Aktau in Kazakhstan, whose reconstruction to be completed at the beginning of September, can handle 1.5 mln tons of dry cargos and 8.0 mln tons of oil a year, said to Reuters the director of the port Talgat Abylgazin. "Our capacity allows us to cope with such cargo load", he said. Ceremony of finishing the reconstruction of the sea port, located at the richest with oil western region of the country, will coincide with the celebrations of 100 years of Kazakhstan oil extracting, and the president Nursultan Nazarbaev is expected to participate. Reconstruction of port Aktau cost $74 million, $54 million of which was given by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and remaining $20 million was given by Kazakhstan budget. Abylgazin says at this time port Aktau works at 20-25% of its capacity. The main part of cargos is oil transported to Iran and Russia, also equipment, food and industrial products which come from these countries. He also says capabilities of sea transportation in Kazakhstan are not fully evaluated. Transportation through port Aktau which is on the eastern shores of the Caspian Sea will allow Kazakhstan cargos to reach the Black Sea by Caucasus railroads, and also to Europe through Volga-Don canal and six Iranian ports. President of the country Nazarbaev, who visited the port during the reconstruction, believes that Aktau will be an important joint of Europe- Caucasus-Asia transportation corridor.