Almaty region is important transport and logistics hub of the country

Almaty region is a region that is potentially important for the development of international trade and transit of goods. However, the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 has caused significant damage to both trade relations between countries and the transport and logistics system. As a result, the customs checkpoints were practically frozen. Thus, in connection with the deterioration of the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of the PRC at the Nur Zholy checkpoint, the quarantine regime was strengthened and measures were taken to limit the passage of vehicles. Also, the adjacent party carried out disinfection and heat treatment for each vehicle, lasting from 2 to 6 hours. In order to resolve the situation with the limited passage of automatic telephone exchanges to the PRC, the Kazakhstan Government set the task of taking a set of measures to increase trade with the PRC by organizing the transshipment of goods from PRC to Kazakhstan. Within the framework of these instructions, on the basis of an agreement with China, the transshipment of goods from the automatic telephone exchange was organized as part of a tractor registered in the Republic of Kazakhstan (owned by the TLC) and a semitrailer registered in the PRC (owned by a Chinese carrier), which run between two checkpoints. This model operates at the Nur Zholy checkpoint; on average, about 20 units of Chinese trailers with goods are imported to transport and logistics centers per day. This format made it possible to import goods without stopping, even when China did not accept semi-trailers from Kazakhstan at all.

Besides, since September 9, 2020, an electronic queue system has been introduced on the GoCargo.kz website, which allows you to book a queue in advance through a mobile application. The system has a "feedback" link by notifying carriers via SMS messages. Today the system is functioning normally. At the same time, from July 1, 2020, Kazakhstan checkpoints Bakhty, Kalzhat and Maikapshagai, which were previously temporarily closed (from end of March), were opened, but adjacent checkpoints on the Chinese side were closed (Dulaty and Zimunai). The Bakhty checkpoint was opened on November 5, 2020. An Operational Headquarters were also established to regulate the queue. The members of the Operational Headquarters include the akim of the Panfilov district, the border service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the customs service, the ROP of the Panfilov region, and an initiative group of drivers. In addition, the section of the road from China to the Republic of Kazakhstan at the Nur Zholy customs post was transferred to the balance sheet of the SRD in the Almaty region, which made it possible for domestic carriers to move without paying the amount of fees for the route traveled from China to the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the moment, considering the epidemiological situation, the movement of goods is carried out in the following order. Firstly, since August 19, 2021, in order to increase the flow by reducing the handling of vehicles, the neighboring party accepts vehicles of the Republic of Kazakhstan that have only a semi-trailer without an awning (platform). Thus, as of September 13, 2021, the PRC accepts more than 50 vehicles per day. Also, the neighboring party made a decision to load onto vehicles with an existing frame base, due to which loading to the site for export to the Republic of Kazakhstan is carried out within half an hour, which reduces the time and minimizes the contacts of the PRC customs officials with the drivers. By the way, over the past period of 2021, 10,505 motor vehicles were moved. Moreover, for 8 months passed 4,061 goods declarations were issued. TPiN incomes for 8 months of 2021 are about 25 million tenge. Work is actively underway in Kazakhstan to create special economic and industrial zones. The main goals of such zones are to provide state support to private entrepreneurship, the development of priority industries, the relocation of industrial enterprises from residential areas, the production of technological, innovative products, and import substitution.

"Bereke" industrial zone located in Almaty region, it was created by the decree of the regional akimat on October 17, 2016. Then "Management company of industrial zones of the Almaty region" LLP was determined by the management company of the "Kairat", "Bereke" and "Taldykorgan" industrial zones. Now, in connection with the planned construction of multi-apartment housing, in accordance with the memorandum signed between the Akimat of Almaty region and "BI Group" dated August 10, 2021, a master plan of the "Gate city" satellite city is being developed in most of the original territory of the industrial zone (535 hectares). At the same time, a land plot with a total area of ​​44 hectares has been allocated for the construction and operation of industrial buildings and structures. In July this year, an agreement on the implementation of activities as a participant in the industrial zone with FRUIT ART LLP was concluded for the implementation of the “Export cluster with innovative technologies for freeze drying of fruit and berry raw materials” investment project. The amount of investment is 35.5 billion tenge of own funds, with the creation of 300 working places. The project initiator is preparing for construction and installation work. In the 4th quarter this year the project organization GRADO is expected to present a new master plan for the territory of the Gate City. On the basis of this plan, the concept of further development of the "Bereke" industrial zone will be developed, considering the movement of the main borders to the north of Almaty Main Ring Road. Speaking about FEZ and industrial zones, one cannot but highlight the special economic zone "Khorgos - Eastern Gate" special economic zone. Thus, "Khorgos - Eastern Gate" is a strategic object for creating a logistics hub connecting China, Central Asia and the Middle East. The SEZ was created in 2011 with a term of operation until 2036.

This zone was created as an effective transport, logistics and industrial center that ensures the interests of trade and export activities and the implementation of the country's transit potential, as well as to ensure a favorable investment climate, attract domestic and foreign investments for the investment projects implementation, accelerated development of the region, and increase employment. The total area of ​​the land plot of Khorgos FEZ is 4591.5 hectares and consists of the following: dry port - 129.8 hectares; logistic zone - 224.9 hectares; industrial zone - 224.4 hectares; reserve area - 4,012.4 hectares. For reference: in the logistic zone there are 124.91 hectares of usable area, 10 hectares have been developed. Free land plots in the logistics zone - 114.91 hectares. In the industrial zone, out of 149.49 hectares of usable area, 50.9 hectares have been developed. Free land plots - 98.59 hectares. Out of 129.8 hectares of usable area, 119.05 hectares have been developed on the territory of dry port. 10.75 hectares are access railways.  For the construction of "Khorgos" FEZ infrastructure in the period 2014-2016 36.8 billion tenge was allocated from the republican budget. In November 2016, all 68 infrastructure facilities of the Khorgos SEZ envisaged by the project were put into operation. These are energy facilities, a complex of water intake facilities, access, railways, communication networks, office buildings, a fire station, etc. The key element of the Khorgos - Eastern Gate FEZ is the dry port, the project of which was implemented in June 2015. Today the dry port is successfully operating. On the territory of the port there are several terminals for transshipment of goods from narrow to wide railway tracks, as well as temporary storage warehouses. 6 branches of railway tracks have been laid (3 along the narrow Chinese gauge of 1435 mm and the same number along the wide Kazakhstan gauge - 1520 mm). The dry port is operated by KTZE Khorgos Gateway LLP. In order to manage the FEZ Khorgos, “Management Company of the Special Economic Zone” Khorgos - Eastern Gate” JSV was created, 100% of which belongs to the Entrepreneurship Department and Industrial and Innovative Development of the Almaty Region. In 2017, National Company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSV, within the framework of the One Belt - One Road international cooperation forum, signed an investment agreement with COSCO Shipping Corporation and the Lianyungang port "On the joint development of the free economic zone (FEZ)" Khorgos - Eastern Gates". The Chinese partners jointly purchased a 49% share in the dry port operator. In 2018, the dry port processed 136,000 TEU, in 2019 - over 150,000 TEU (a conventional unit for measuring the quantitative side of traffic flows, the throughput of container terminals or capacity), in 2020 - 210,000 TEU. In the first quarter of 2021, the volume amounted to 57,000 TEU, 5,977 tons of general cargo and 6,320 tons of packaged cargo were handled. In addition, it is also necessary to note the strategic location of the "Khorgos - Eastern Gate" SEZ: from the port of Lianyungang, which is the bridgehead of the new Eurasian continental corridor to the "Khorgos - Eastern Gate" FEZ, transportation of goods by rail takes 5 days. Transportation of goods from the "Khorgos - Eastern Gate" FEZ to Rotterdam (Europe) takes about 9-10 days. Currently, 30 participants are registered in the unified register. Among them, 18 participants were allocated land plots on the territory of the dry port, logistics and industrial zones of the FEZ (for the implementation of projects, an area of ​​1,254.8 hectares was allocated out of 4,591.5 hectares provided for by the master plan). On the reserve territory of  FEZ, land plots have been allocated for the implementation of the following projects: 1) "Hubei Kelison" LLP - 1000 hectares for the construction of the "China-Kazakhstan International Industrial Park". Investment cost 330 billion tenge. 2) Qazaq LNG LLP - 32 hectares for the construction of a plant for the production of liquefied natural gas. Investment cost 58.7 billion tenge. Current projects: "KTZE-Khorgos Gateway" LLP (Dry Port) - the project was commissioned in 2016, cost - 36.38 billion tenge, 190 working places, capacity - 540 thousand TEU; - activities - terminal services, warehousing. Zarya ltd LLP (on the territory of the dry port) - the project was commissioned in 2018, cost - 1.51 billion tenge, 48 working places, capacity - up to 15,000 one-time storage; - activities - storage and shipping of grain. KIF Warehouses LLP (on the territory of the logistics zone) - the project was commissioned in 2019, cost - 5 billion tenge, 50 working places , capacity - two warehouses with a total area of ​​25 thousand square meters; - activity - class A warehouses of QazProdGroup LLP (on the territory of the industrial zone) - the project was commissioned in 2019, cost - 0.11 billion tenge, 150 working places, capacity - 2,400 pairs of shoes per shift; - activity - manufacture of footwear. "Standard Steel KZ" LLP (on the territory of the industrial zone) - the project was commissioned  in 2019, cost - 0.27 billion tenge, 6 working places, capacity - 10 tons of finished products per day; - activity - production of metal products, except for machinery and equipment; metal tile, corrugated board, metal siding. SSA Feed Mills LLP (on the territory of the dry port) - the project was commissioned in 2020, the cost is 4.7 billion tenge, 66 working places, the capacity is 60 thousand tons of feed per year, the capacity of the elevator is 15 thousand tons with further expansion up to 30 thousand tons; - activity - construction of a complex for the production of combined feed and storage of grain crops. QAZAQ fruits LLP (on the territory of the industrial zone) - the project was commissioned in 2020, cost - 0.04 billion tenge, 25 working places , capacity - 306 300 kg per year; - activity - food production (pasta). "Khorgos free zone logistics services" LLP (on the territory of the industrial zone) - the project was commissioned in 2020, the cost is 0.03 billion tenge, 15 working places, the capacity is a warehouse with an area of ​​600 sq. m; - activities - warehousing and auxiliary transport activities. It is noted that by the end of 2021, it is planned to implement 5 projects cost 27.8 billion tenge with the creation of 564 working places. "International Company for the Development of the Silk Road" Eastern Gate" LLP (bed linen, curtains, clothes). Cost - 22.1 billion tenge, territory - 32 hectares, stage 1 of the project with a total area of ​​4,000 square meters, construction of a factory for the production of textiles with a design capacity of 450 thousand units textiles per year and the creation of 405 working places. Kok-tobe safflower LLP (safflower oil). Cost - 0.20 billion tenge, territory - 0.5 hectares, construction of a workshop for the production of oils and fats with a design capacity of 6 thousand tons per year and the creation of 10 working places. Elite Baby Production LLP (baby diapers, paper napkins). Cost - 0.256 billion tenge, territory - 2 hectares, construction of a workshop for the production of paper products for household and sanitary and hygienic purposes with the creation of 80 working places. "Kazakh-Chinese International Industrial City" (BSU) LLP. Cost - 4.8 billion tenge, territory - 4 hectares, construction of a ready-mixed concrete plant with the creation of 44 working places. "East Gate Partners" LLP. Cost - 0.15 billion tenge, territory - 1 hectare, construction of a workshop for the production of jam, jam, jam and confiture from berries and fruits, design capacity - 300 tons per year with the creation of 25 working places. In addition, it should be noted that Tuloma Salmon Kazakhstan LLP is currently being registered. This company plans to build a plant for growing Atlantic salmon using recirculating water technology (closed water supply installation) with an installed capacity of 2,500 tons per year. Within several years after the operational launch of the plant, it is planned to expand the plant's capacity to 5,000 tons, as well as to build a filleting workshop.