What will the ports of the future have to look like to keep up with the increasing growth in freight traffic? Together with the German-Kazakh University, we are embarking on a new research project to get to the bottom of this question.

Freight traffic in Kazakhstan has grown steadily in recent years, reaching an impressive 4.2 billion tons in 2021. But with growth comes challenges. Disruptions on key transport routes have increased demand on the Trans-Caspian route – that is, transit from Urumchi to the port of Aktau, then by sea to Azerbaijan and on through Georgia and Turkey to Europe. As a result, the port of Aktau is reaching its capacity limits. The aim of this research project, funded by the DAAD and the German Federal Foreign Office, is to expand the port's capacity and increase efficiency in container handling.

Therefore, we are developing a model for automating port processes in order to better understand future requirements and allocate the right resources. In doing so, we are getting to the bottom of various questions: What resources are needed in the port and how can storage and handling capacities be optimized? How does automation affect performance and costs? Which factors have the greatest influence on port performance?

Learn more about how ports can develop in the future here.