Abu Dhabi logistics firm expands into Kazakhstan
The Central Asian country has important strategic value for Iran, Turkey and other countries in the region.
Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports Group signed an agreement with Kazakhstan Wednesday pertaining to the Caspian Sea.
AD Ports Group will establish a joint venture with Kazmortransflot, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s state-owned oil and gas company KazMunayGas. The two will provide shipping and offshore services in the Caspian Sea. AD Ports Group specifically mentioned the following services in a press release:
- offshore support of vessels in the sea
- subsea solutions, which could refer to underwater equipment for ocean exploration or seafloor mineral mining
- loading containers
- "ro-ro," which refers to transporting wheeled vehicles
- crude oil transportation
Spokespeople for AD Ports Group did not respond to Al-Monitor’s request for more information.
Why it matters: The Caspian Sea and Kazakhstan are both strategically important areas for Middle Eastern states. The Islamic Republic of Iran is particularly interested in cultivating strong trade relations with Kazakhstan. In June, Iran and Kazakhstan inaugurated a railway network connecting Kazakhstan to Turkey by way of Iran.
