Kazahkstan And Malaysia To Venture Into Central Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- Kazahkstan's logistics and transportation industry players are ready to collaborate with their Malaysian counterparts to venture into freight transportation particularly in Central Asia, said Kazakhstan Embassy Counsellor Serik Amirov. Amirov said the synergy between the industry players would benefit both countries and Malaysia would serve as a hub for goods especially from Southeast Asia. "The cooperation between both countries could result in the minimisation of cost and boost Malaysia's exports to Central Asia. "We are now offering an inland route for the transportation of fast movable consumer goods and goods related to the manufacturing sector which will only take between 13 and 15 days. "Transportation by sea may take up to two months," he told reporters after presenting a talk on "Opportunities and Perspectives of Freight Transportation to Central Asia and Eurasian Economic Union", here Monday. Amirov said growth in container volume had slowed between Southeast Asia and Central Asia. Malaysia's total trade with Central Asia, as at September 2016, declined to US$9.6 million versus US$14 million registered at end-September 2015. "Presently, we have set up a Kazakhstan-China joint venture terminal in China to further promote the new route, which will utilise the Port of Lianyungang as a hub before goods are re-distributed to other countries in Central Asia," he said. KTZ Express, which is involved in the Lianyungang port project, offered regular container block trains from Lianyungang to Almaty and Central Asia countries with a frequency of one block train per week. The company is expected to increase volume on these routes at a frequency of two block trains per week. -- BERNAMA