The project could turn a fragmented Eurasian route into a more integrated logistics system linking Central Asia with Europe.
Aktau, Kazakhstan
German logistics group Rhenus plans to develop a network of up to 14 terminals along the Middle Corridor, strengthening one of the most important emerging trade routes between Central Asia and Europe.
The network would extend from Uzbekistan through Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan to Türkiye before connecting with Rhenus infrastructure across Europe. A new multimodal hub in Aktau, on the Caspian Sea, is expected to become one of the central nodes in that system.
Rhenus is working with Kazakhstan’s national railway operator and the Port of Aktau to develop the terminal, which would combine sea, rail and road transport. The project is expected to cover at least 30 hectares and provide annual handling capacity of at least 150,000 TEU.
That figure is significant because container traffic along the Middle Corridor reached about 76,900 TEU in 2025, up 36 percent from the previous year. A single terminal capable of handling nearly twice that volume illustrates the scale of the infrastructure expansion now being considered.
The broader network also reflects how quickly the Middle Corridor is moving from geopolitical concept to commercial project. The route, formally known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, allows freight to move between Asia and Europe through Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus and Türkiye.
Its strategic relevance has increased as companies and governments search for alternatives to transport corridors running through Russia and for greater diversification beyond traditional maritime routes. The European Union has also identified the corridor as a priority and aims to mobilize up to €12 billion in public and private investment, with the goal of increasing trade flows and reducing transit times by 2030.
Rhenus is already expanding elsewhere in Central Asia. Earlier this year, the company acquired a rail terminal in the Almaty region and is planning additional investment in Uzbekistan, including modernization of a terminal in Andijan with the national railway operator.
For Kazakhstan, the implications extend beyond logistics. The country sits between China, Central Asia, the Caspian region and Europe, giving it the potential to become a much more important transit and distribution hub if infrastructure, customs procedures and cross-border coordination improve.
The challenge is that the Middle Corridor crosses several national systems, each with different rail standards, port capacities and administrative procedures. Building terminals alone will not eliminate those bottlenecks, but a more integrated commercial network could reduce fragmentation and improve reliability.
The significance of the Rhenus plan therefore lies not simply in the number of terminals. It represents an attempt to transform a collection of national transport segments into a more coherent Eurasian logistics chain.
The next competition over global trade routes may be decided less by distance than by who can connect the fragmented pieces fastest.