Noatum Maritime, the Maritime & Shipping arm of AD Ports Group has strengthened its collaboration with Kazakh partners by signing Heads of Terms with Kazakhstan National Shipping Company – KazMorTransFlot (KMTF), a subsidiary of KazMunayGas, the Kazakh National Oil Company, to expand operations in the Caspian Sea region, according to the company's release.
The two parties intend to collaborate on the construction of two container vessels, specifically designed for operations in the Caspian Sea, each with a capacity exceeding 500 TEUs. These relatively larger (to existing capacity in the Caspian Sea), modern shallow draft vessels would offer enhanced turnaround times and provide increased capacity, while advanced cargo handling systems would support improved scheduling and operational efficiency.
Both companies also confirmed their intention to develop the next generation trans – Caspian Sea intermodal system via high-capacity ferries, and the corresponding terminal infrastructure, which will dramatically shorten the transit time for Kazakh exporters and all stakeholders of the middle corridor.
The parties are also working to expand their tanker fleet for crude oil transportation to further support Kazakhstan’s energy sector and deepen the collaboration.
This latest agreement builds upon the strong foundation between the two entities and the joint venture established in 2022 – Caspian Integrated Maritime Solutions (CIMS).