On 9 July 2025, Abu Dhabi and Astana formally inaugurated Gulflink, a joint venture between AD Ports Group, which holds a 51 per cent stake, and KTZ Express, the multimodal subsidiary of Kazakhstan Railways. The initiative aims to enhance the logistics landscape of Central Asia by strengthening Kazakhstan’s integration into international logistics systems and boosting transport corridors along the east-west axis.
As a new logistics operator, Gulflink will manage freight transit along both established routes and emerging corridors, responding to growing demand for alternatives to traditional maritime routes, which are increasingly affected by geopolitical uncertainty and congestion. The long-term goal is to develop the Middle Corridor – which links China to Europe through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus and the Black Sea – into a stable and commercially viable alternative to routes via Russia or maritime passages through Suez.
Kazakhstan’s geographical position makes it a strategic node in the Eurasian transport network. With over 16,000 kilometres of railway lines and a 70 per cent freight modal share assigned to rail, KTZ serves as the logistical backbone of the region. The new Gulflink platform aims to capitalise on this infrastructure, providing extended multimodal connectivity towards Pakistan, Turkey, the Persian Gulf and the Indian subcontinent.
As Abdulaziz Zayed AlShamsi, regional CEO of AD Ports Group, highlighted, Gulflink represents a key component of the UAE’s strategy to develop the Middle Corridor. He noted that Kazakhstan is one of the fastest-growing economies in the region and that Gulflink embodies the group’s commitment to reinforcing infrastructural ties in order to build resilient and efficient logistics chains that drive shared economic growth. The vision is to create an integrated logistics offering by rail, road, air and sea to all major commercial destinations in Europe, Asia and beyond.
The Gulflink project forms part of a broader strategy by AD Ports Group in Central Asia, which includes announced investments totalling 775 million US dollars in Kazakhstan alone. Among the most significant initiatives are the launch of maritime operations in the Black and Caspian seas in partnership with local collaborator KazMorTransFlot, the development of a logistics and commercial platform for agri-food products in Uzbekistan, the joint construction of a grain terminal, and preliminary plans for a multipurpose port facility in Kuryk.
