Kazakhstan expand steamboad communication with Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan

/IRBIS, Aug 28, 01/ - REUTERS informs that at a single sea port of Kazakhstan, in Aktau, three new steamboat lines will open to Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan on September 5, 2001. It is said that this event, along with the introduction of CPC pipeline later on will expand raw material and goods exports of Kazakhstan to the world markets. These lines will connect Aktau with Noushahr port in Iran, Baku in Azerbaijan and Olya in Russia. The sea port representative said that the steamboats going between Noushahr-Aktau and Olya-Aktau will carry vehicles. Their capacity is 31 heavy trucks, 124 lightweight cars, from 32 to 64 20-ton containers, 800 tons of packaged cargo and 60 passengers. On Aktau-Baku route the railroad steamboat will be used, with the capacity of 28 railroad cars. It is added that the need to open additional route in Baku-Aktau direction was due to an increase in cargo volumes. Actual cargo loading and unloading at Aktau port equaled 758.6 th. tons in 2000. During this time 524 tankers used the port with total carrying capacity of 3.385m tons of oil. Aktau sea port is located in the east of the Caspian sea and the first stage of the port reconstruction has been completed in 1999 using the funds of the EBRD at $74m.