The terminal’s primary purpose is to facilitate cargo transhipment from the 1435 mm track gauge that China uses to the 1520mm gauge used by Kazakhstan. Estimations indicate that it will also contribute to increasing the volumes of cargo handling along the China-Europe route. The transhipment terminal covers an area of 150 hectares and is positioned six kilometres west of the Dostyk station and very close to the Dostyk-Alashankou border crossing. Currently, it provides a throughput capacity of 100 thousand TEUs, but it will undergo further expansion in the future.
Multileveled development
Construction of the terminal is the first stage of a broader project. Specifically, the PTC Holding Group of Companies aims to develop a multifunctional zone that will also include an industrial area and a dry port. The rerouting of Eurasian services from sea to rail, for instance, resulted in increased container traffic that now needs better handling. As a response, PTC decided to launch a large scale project that will benefit both the cargo handling and the region’s development, said Shyngys Tuleushin, CEO of the terminal managing company PTC Cargo.
The terminal itself will undergo several expansions after its launching. At the moment, it is in the first stage with a capacity of 100 thousand TEUs, and 60 thousand more are soon to be added. During the second stage, the terminal will expand by 160 thousand more TEUs, while the expansion works will add 300 thousand extra TEUs in the third stage. In the fourth and final stage, the project includes modernisation processes for the second stage and the addition of 80 thousand TEUs. In total, the terminal’s overall capacity will be 700 thousand TEUs.
Complementary to Dostyk station
Dostyk transhipment station lies at the Kazakh-Chinese border and is a crucial component of Eurasian transport. The Dostyk-Alashankou border point is the busiest border crossing along the New Silk Road and frequently subject to traffic bans due to congestion. Consequently, the new terminal, which is very proximate to Dostyk, will have an ancillary role for better traffic management.
Apart from transhipment processes, it will also offer storage, repair, formation of container block trains crossing the Kazakh-Chinese border, as well as consolidation of goods by type of transport and performance of warehouse and terminal operations.
