Kazakhstan Expands Oil Deliveries via Aktau to Baku and Other Routes, Reducing Dependence on Russia
Between January and March, shipments of crude from Kazakhstan reached 163.4 thousand tons along the Aktau to Baku sea corridor, a route that bypasses Russian infrastructure. This volume represents a sixfold increase over the 28.8 thousand tons sent during the same period in the previous year, according to industry sources and market data collated by Refinitiv and reported by Reuters. The rise signals a broader push by Kazakhstan to diversify its export routes and mitigate exposure to traditional transit pathways that pass through Russia.
In the first quarter of the year, deliveries from the Caspian port of Aktau to Baku, which forms a key corridor circumventing Russia, totaled 163.4 thousand tons. The surge underscores a growing preference for alternative routes in a region where geopolitics and sanctions reshape energy logistics. Analysts note that this period also saw Kazakhstan maintaining steady volumes through other channels, illustrating a multi-pronged strategy to reach global markets. In the same timeframe, Kazakhstan supplied more than 80,000 tons of oil to China on a monthly basis, reflecting continued demand in East Asia and the country’s efforts to diversify buyers beyond Europe and Russia.
Reuters details suggest that these changes have accelerated over the past year amid broader regional disruptions linked to the situation in Ukraine. Although shipments from alternative routes remained relatively modest before the crisis, volumes surged from 638 thousand tons in 2021 to about 1.8 million tons in 2022, signaling a structural shift in corridor use and capacity. Market observers highlight how these changes have influenced regional energy flows, with carriers and traders repositioning assets to capitalize on newly accessible routes while managing risks associated with supply interruptions and sanctions regimes.
Market commentary from late March noted that Europe has been able to compensate for reduced Russian oil supply through increased purchases of fuel from Asia. There is also skepticism about whether European buyers have continued to acquire Russian crude directly or through intermediary channels in Asia. The evolving pattern suggests that European energy security strategies may increasingly depend on a layered network of routes and counterparties, a dynamic that continues to shape policy considerations and commercial decisions in energy markets across North America, Europe, and Asia.
As stakeholders monitor these trends, analysts emphasize the importance of transparency and reliable data in understanding the true scale of diversification efforts. The Aktau to Baku corridor, alongside established pipelines and emerging export channels, demonstrates how regional producers adapt to geopolitical constraints while seeking to maintain steady access to global markets. The shifting landscape highlights the resilience of supply chains and the ongoing evolution of energy infrastructure in the Caspian Basin and the wider Eurasian region.