Before we get
to Aktau Commercial Sea Port, could you give
us a brief overview of the maritime sector
of Kazakhstan?
Till 2000, marine service of Kazakhstan
was represented only by Aktau Sea Trade
Port which was rebuild and renovated with
a loan of European Bank of Reconstruction
and Development. The amount of the loan
was 54 million Dollars and 20 million Dollars
came as a cofinancing from Kazakhstan Government.
Total amount of a rehabilitation project
was 74 million Dollars, which was fulfilled
in 1999. The President of the Republic,
Mr. Nazarbaev, personally opened this Sea
port and gave the beginning to it.
Today the Port has facilities for simultaneous
service of three tanker two ferry boats
three dry cargo vessels. It also has total
90000 sq km in storage space as well as
6000 sq km of Cabot area. It has also facilities
for 8 million tons of cargos every year
and 1.5 million for dry cargos.
Could you elaborate a brief historical
background of Aktau Commercial Sea Port?
This Port was built in 1963 for construction
of this city Aktau, which in turn was constructed
for uranium industry in the former USSR.
So, the city has its origins from this Sea
Port. This port was created for transportation
of crude oil and maybe of bulk cargos from
Kazakhstan to Baku and Astrakhan.
Today we have partnership with Iran, Russian
Federation, and Azerbaijan. 50% of our oil
goes to Azerbaijan, 45% goes to Russian
Federation, and 5% to Iran. 100% of dry
cargo goes to Iran.
Could you tell us more about services
that you offer to your partners?
The Port is offering the whole range of
services that every normal port offers.
We transport grain and steel to Iran. We
provide ferry and tanker transportation
of crude oil to Russian Federation. By ferry
we transport Lorries to ports Astrakhan
and Makhachkala. We transport crude oil
of 30000 tons per month, grain and steel
to Baku. We are waiting for a SWAP scheme
or substitution of oil that we are working
with here. Caspian Sea will take the same
amount as Persian Gulf. Kazakhstan is very
interested in this project.
The most popular route is an Azerbaijan
one due to the fact that many Azerbaijanis
are coming here and living in Kazakhstan.
There are also some Iran people that come
to Kazakhstan.
Could you give us some figures?
During this year, 2 million tons of crude
oil was sent to Baku and 2.5 million to Russian
Federation. Last year, we transported 6.1
million ton. The level of transportation was
reduced lately due to world crises and after
Sep 11 events. However, we still have good
level of crude oil transportation. |
Could you elaborate
more on existing and new routes of Aktau Commercial
Sea Port?
Aktau is located on the main two routes.
One of them is the Great Silk Road which
is the ancient route connecting Central
Asian countries with Azerbaijan, Georgia
and Western European countries. Aktau is
located on one point of this road.
Another route is North South from Iran and
Persian Gulf and to Saint Petersburg. There
is a possibility of redistribution of cargos
from Far Eastern countries at Persian Port.
This project is very interesting for Kazakhstan.
Could you tell us more about your business
partners? What kind of partners do you have?
We work with local companies. Caterpillar
received its excavators from Azerbaijan
and its equipment from the West. We transport
it to North Caspian. We also work with Agip.
Our main partnerships are Ispat Karmet,
KazTransOil, and KazMorTransport and Kazakh
Oil, Lukoil, Kumkol, Hurricane.
Could you give us more financial figures,
such as turnover?
Let me prepare these figures and I will give
them to you later.
Could you elaborate more on new projects
and its vision?
Aktau Sea Port is working in 110 facilities
and I am sure that there will more ports
in Bautino and Kuryk. We are also planning
further rehabilitation of the port. During
the next three - five years, we'll build
more facilities. We are waiting for oil
from Kashagan field. Another one is CPC
Pipeline, which is one of the biggest. Therefore,
we need more facilities for transportation
of oil. Tanker transportation is the best
and the cheapest one, which does not produce
waste.
Moreover, we have plans about transportation
to Baltic countries, Turkey, and Italy.
Kazakhstan has three ports, which are called
Druzhba Station, Continental China, and
Aktau. So, from Aktau you can reach any
destination.
Could you tell us about your professional
background?
My first degree is in Metallurgy. Another
degree is in Maritime from Odessa Maritime
University. I came to Sea Port in 1998.
What was your biggest challenge during
these four years?
When I came to Aktau Sea Port, the biggest
challenge was the reconstruction of the
Port. I had to change the whole system because
it was very old. We created a new team of
young experts. All these together gave us
good results and we were awarded with diploma
from the European Market Research Center.
The growth in transportation in 2001 was
300%, which is an amazing result.
Could you give a final message to the
readers of the Far Eastern Economic Review?
I would like to welcome business leaders from
Europe and Asia. Kazakhstan has a strategic
location and Aktau is one of the most important
points here. We work 24 hours a day, seven
days per week and 365 days a year. That is
why; I would like to invite investors from
all over the world for cooperation. |
V.I.P. INTERVIEWS 