Kazakhstan Exports Rice to Belgium via Middle Corridor at Lower Cost Than Transit Through Russia

Kazakhstan has completed a pilot shipment of broken rice to Belgium via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, bypassing Russian territory. According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the new logistics route proved to be cheaper than transportation through the Northern Corridor while maintaining comparable delivery times.

The export shipment was organized by KTZ Express, a subsidiary of the national railway operator. The cargo was delivered to the Port of Antwerp (Belgium) using a multimodal transport scheme combining rail and maritime shipping across the Caspian and Black Seas. Estimated transit time was approximately 30 days.

The route followed the corridor “Kyzylorda — Port of Aktau — Port of Poti — Port of Antwerp.” Maritime transportation between Poti and Antwerp was carried out with the participation of the international shipping group CMA CGM.

Previously, cargo deliveries in this direction were primarily routed via the Northern Corridor through Russia, crossing the Semiglavy Mar border point and continuing through Brest, Duisburg and Antwerp.

KTZ noted that the use of TITR infrastructure enables diversification of export routes, reduces dependence on traditional transit corridors, and enhances the resilience of supply chains linking Kazakhstan with European markets.

The pilot shipment underscores the growing strategic importance of the Middle Corridor as an alternative export route for Kazakh goods to Europe amid shifting geopolitical and logistics conditions.

Source: Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), KazTAG