Turkmenistan and EU Discuss Strengthening the Role of Turkmenbashi Port in the Trans-Caspian Corridor

On March 27, 2026, the leadership of the State Service of Maritime and River Transport of Turkmenistan and the Turkmenbashi International Seaport held a meeting with a European Union (EU) delegation led by Charlotte Adrian, Head of the Central Asia and Afghanistan Division. The meeting focused on the effective utilization of the Trans-Caspian transport corridor’s potential and the further strengthening of the strategic position of the Turkmenbashi International Seaport in this direction.

According to the State Service of Maritime and River Transport of Turkmenistan, the Turkmen side introduced the visiting delegation to the port's modern capabilities, cargo turnover routes, and advanced European-made equipment installed at the facility.

Detailed information was also provided regarding projects underway at the "Balkan" Shipbuilding and Repair Yard, international tenders announced for new ship construction, and Turkmenistan's consistent steps toward acceding to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL).

Furthermore, the Turkmen side emphasized that new dredging vessels have been purchased to maintain the depth of navigation channels, and that such vessels are also being constructed at the "Balkan" shipyard itself.

EU representative Charlotte Adrian highly praised the strategic importance of the Turkmenbashi port at the crossroads of international transport corridors, noting that the coordinated operation of all port services is crucial for further increasing cargo flow.

The Turkmenbashi International Seaport is the most significant cargo and passenger terminal on Turkmenistan's coast. Located on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, it operates regular routes to Baku (Azerbaijan), Aktau (Kazakhstan), and Astrakhan (Russia).