Construction of Kazakhstan’s First Inland Dry Port Begins in Qostanay

Kazakhstan has officially launched construction of its first major inland dry port, "Tobyl," in the city of Qostanay, Orda.kz reports.

Unlike traditional logistics hubs situated near borders, Tobyl is positioned deep within the country, making it the largest facility of its kind located away from a state frontier. It is expected to become a key logistics center for northern Kazakhstan.

The project was presented to government and industry leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister Yerzhan Kosherbayev, regional Akim Kumar Aksakalov, and executives from the Industrial Development Fund, KTZ, Kedentransservice, Kia Qazaqstan, and Allur Group.

The logistics complex spans 133.6 hectares and is designed to handle up to 400,000 twenty-foot containers annually. Total investment in the project is estimated at 64 billion tenge.

Strategically positioned to serve the China–Central Asia–Europe corridor, Tobyl will strengthen Kazakhstan’s role in global supply chains and support the country’s ambitions to become a logistics hub for Eurasia. The port will also stimulate multimodal transport, increase export capacity, and deepen local processing industries.

The site will include container terminals, customs facilities, warehouses, service zones, and IT infrastructure — all integrated into a unified system. A real-time cargo tracking system will also be deployed to streamline operations and boost transparency.

Tobyl is being developed in partnership with Kedentransservice and with the support of the Industrial Development Fund. Authorities expect it to reduce logistics costs, improve export competitiveness, and attract investment into Kazakhstan’s manufacturing and SME sectors.

Qostanay Region continues to expand its industrial base. In 2025, a new Kia plant is set to open with a production capacity of 70,000 vehicles per year, alongside facilities for automotive parts manufacturing with an output of 220,000 units.

Original Author: Maria Kravstova