Logistics Collapse in Aktau: Grain Shipments Stuck in Transit

The largest maritime port of Kazakhstan on the Caspian — Aktau — has run into a severe logistics crisis. The national company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) was forced to extend the ban on railway deliveries of export grain toward Aktau due to critical congestion of wagons and saturated terminals.

The Kazakhstan railway operator broadened the previously imposed restrictions on grain transport. According to Order No. 2566 dated October 8, 2025, the embargo on accepting grain trains heading for export via Aktau port will now be in effect through October 20 (inclusive). Initially, the measure was expected to last from October 3 to October 11.
This decision is a direct reaction to the transportation gridlock that formed on approaches to the port. As of October 8, more than 700 grain wagons were already queued toward Aktau, while over 140 trains were still en route through KTZ’s rail network. All available storage capacities at the grain terminals of Aktau-Port station have been fully exhausted.
An additional aggravating factor has been the irregular schedule of ship arrivals. Delays in the arrival of maritime vessels for loading and further shipment mean there is nowhere to unload the grain, and idle wagons are blocking the rail infrastructure.

Aktau port is a strategic node for Kazakhstan’s agricultural export, especially to markets in Iran and Caspian region countries. Halting shipments during the prime season of new harvest poses direct threats to the entire sector. It may lead to breaches of international contracts, financial losses for farmers and traders, and damage to the country’s reputation as a reliable grain supplier.