Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest lake on Earth by both area and volume. It is bordered by Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. It has a surface area of 371,000 km². The ports of the littoral states include key trading hubs in international transport corridors and the new Silk Road; including Baku, Aktau & Astrakhan. The sea has become topical since the Russian invasion of Ukraine (started 24.02.2022) as traders seek routes which do not pass through Russian territory. The heavily-sanctioned states of Russia and Iran also have interests in the Caspian Sea’s transport capacity.
Russia issues tender for dredging of Volga-Caspian Shipping Canal
Moscow, Russia (PortSEurope) March 10, 2023 – Russia’s state agency Rosmorport has issued a tender for maintenance dredging on...
Sanctions force Russia to allow foreign ships in Volga-Don Shipping Canal
Astrakhan, Russia (PortSEurope) March 8, 2023 – Western sanctions are forcing Russia to redirect its trade and cargo from the north-west to the south-east of...
Iran to provide road transport for North-South Transport Corridor
Tehran, Iran (PortSEurope) March 6, 2023 – The largest Iranian fund Mostazafan has created a Russian-Iranian transport company that will carry out the...
Russia offers 12 million tonnes Caspian Sea ports capacity to Iran
Astrakhan, Russia (PortSEurope) March 3, 2023 – In 2023, Russian Caspian Sea ports are ready to accept up to 12 million tonnes of cargo from Iran with...
Iranian Caspian Sea ports gain cargo due to sanctions against Russia
Tehran, Iran (PortSEurope) February 28, 2023 – Transit cargo via Iranian Caspian Sea ports increased in the current Iranian calendar year (started on...
Iranian ships run aground in Volga-Caspian Canal
Astrakhan, Russia (PortSEurope) February 28, 2023 – Two Iranian flagged ships ran aground at the 170th km of the Volga River – Caspian Sea Marine...
Russia’s Astrakhan region cargo turnover with Azerbaijan increases
Astrakhan, Russia (PortSEurope) February 23, 2023 – The cargo turnover between the Caspian Sea ports of Russian Astrakhan region (Astrakhan and Olya) and...
DP World signs digitalisation agreement with the Caspian Containers Company
Geneva, Switzerland (PortSEurope) February 22, 2023 – DP World has signed a cooperation agreement with Swiss-based Caspian Containers Company SA (CCCSA)...
Makhachkala port – Russia’s Caspian Sea champion
Makhachkala, Russia (Ports Europe) February 6, 2023 – In 2022, Makhachkala Commercial Sea Port became the leader among Russian ports in the Caspian Sea in...
CMA CGM links Poti by rail with Central Asia
Marseille, France (Ports Europe) January 30, 2023 – French shipper CMA CGM has announced a service linking the Port of Poti with the Caucasus and Central...
Chelyabinsk Region delegation visits Aktau port
Aktau, Kazakhstan (Ports Europe) January 26, 2023 – A delegation from the Ministry of Economic Development of the Chelyabinsk Region of the Russian...
Analysis: Sanctions busting Caspian Sea is drying up, new ships needed
Aktau, Kazakhstan (Ports Europe) January 26, 2023 – Recently, the lowering water level in the Caspian Sea has accelerated so much that it is jeopardising...
Second Caspian feeder line Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan starts with Uzbek cargo
Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan (Ports Europe) January 26, 2023 – More than 100 (40-foot) containers were transshipped through Turkmenistan’s Caspian Sea port...
Makhachkala port: cargo handled up 38% in 2023
Makhachkala, Russia (Ports Europe) January 25, 2023 – Some 450,000 tonnes of general cargo were handled by Makhachkala port since the start of the year,...
Turkmenbashi International Seaport more than doubles cargo in 2022
Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan (Ports Europe) January 23, 2023 – Last year, the amount of transit cargo transported through the Turkmenbashi International...
Russia’s Caspian Sea ports’ cargo statistics for 2022 is confusing
Astrakhan, Russia (Ports Europe) January 21, 2023 – Cargo turnover of the Russian Caspian Sea-Volga river ports of Astrakhan and Olya for 2022 was 3...
Port of Olya, the new pet project of President Putin
Olya, Russia (Ports Europe) January 17, 2023 – Aside from waging a war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally took over the projects that...
Kazakh port of Aktau handles 3.8 million tonnes of cargo in 2022
Aktau, Kazakhstan (Ports Europe) January 16, 2023 – Turnover of Kazakhstan’s Aktau Port in the Caspian Sea in 2022 increased by 9%, compared to 2021 to...
UPDATE: Russia claims its ports handled 841.5 million tonnes of cargo in 2022
Ports Europe previous article (January 6, 2022): Russia claims its ports handled 840 million tonnes of cargo in 2022 Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) January 14,...
Kazakhstan’s ports handled +19% cargo, +24% containers in Jan-Nov 22
Aktau, Kazakhstan (Ports Europe) January 9, 2023 – Cargo handled by the Caspian Sea ports of Kazakhstan in January-November 2022 increased by 19% compared to...