Submarine Cable Reaches Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have completed one of the key stages of the Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic Cable project. The submarine cable laid across the Caspian Sea has reached the Kazakh coast.
The project is being implemented by Kazakhstan’s national telecommunications operator Kazakhtelecom and Azerbaijan’s AzerTelecom. According to the Government of Kazakhstan, work is now focused on connecting the cable to shore-based infrastructure.
The link will connect Aktau in Kazakhstan with Sumgait in Azerbaijan. The submarine section is approximately 380 km long and is designed to provide capacity of up to 400 Tbit/s, according to AzerTelecom.
Onshore Infrastructure to Be Completed in Autumn
The next stage involves completing the onshore facilities on both sides of the Caspian Sea. Construction is expected to be finished in autumn, after which testing of the new communications line will begin.
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan had previously targeted completion of the overall project by the end of 2026. Kazakhstan considers the Trans-Caspian fiber link an important part of the infrastructure needed to strengthen the country’s role in international data transit between East and West.
New Digital Route Will Connect Asia and Europe
The Trans-Caspian cable is a key component of the broader Digital Silk Way initiative, which is designed to establish a new telecommunications corridor between Europe and Asia.
The route through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye is expected to provide an additional path for international internet traffic and large-scale data transmission.
For Kazakhstan, the project could strengthen the country’s position not only as a transport and energy hub but also as a major digital transit point in Central Asia. For Azerbaijan, the cable complements its East–West infrastructure and reinforces its role as a link between Central Asia, the South Caucasus and European markets.
Digital Infrastructure Complements the Middle Corridor
The fiber-optic project is progressing alongside the expansion of physical transport routes across the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are already key participants in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or Middle Corridor, which connects China and Central Asia with the South Caucasus, Türkiye and Europe.
The new communications line adds a digital layer to this corridor. In addition to freight and physical supply chains, the region will be able to handle significantly larger volumes of international data traffic.
Once the onshore infrastructure is completed and testing is finished, the project will be ready to move toward commercial operation.
