Large-scale dredging works at Kazakhstan's Aktau Port are scheduled to begin soon, with Chinese contractor China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. planning to complete the project by the end of 2026, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport has announced.

According to the ministry, the company has already carried out geodetic surveys and processed the necessary data for the project, The Caspian Post reports.

Specialised vessels, machinery and equipment are currently being transported to the port.

At the same time, construction work is underway on a retaining dam at the reclamation site, where 680 metres of the planned 785 metres have already been completed.

The main stage of dredging is scheduled to start in the second half of July 2026. After the project is completed, the permitted draft depth in the port's waters will increase to 6-7 metres, enabling vessels to operate at full capacity and accelerating cargo handling operations.

The project is connected with the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. By 2028, the route's annual capacity is expected to rise from 6 million to 10 million tonnes. During the first five months of 2026, container traffic from China to Europe via the route increased by 30%.