By AZE.US
The Port of Baku plans to begin dredging work in the Caspian Sea by the end of 2026 as a preventive response to the continued decline in water levels.
The project is expected to take approximately 18 months, Port of Baku Director General Eldar Salahov said.
An international tender was announced during the summer, and the submitted bids are now being evaluated. The final terms of the contract are expected to be agreed in the coming days.
Port Currently Receives Ships Without Restrictions
Salahov said falling Caspian water levels have not yet created technical restrictions for vessels entering the port.
The dredging project is intended to preserve reliable access to port infrastructure and prevent possible vessel-draft restrictions if the sea continues to become shallower.
Preparatory work has already been completed. Specialists have studied the seabed and conducted bathymetric surveys to measure water depths and underwater terrain.
The work is expected to be carried out with international partners, although the port has not yet identified the companies involved.
The Port of Baku is a key hub along the Middle Corridor connecting Asia and Europe. Maintaining sufficient depth along its access routes is critical to preserving cargo capacity and avoiding restrictions on the size and load of arriving vessels.
Salahov described the decline of the Caspian Sea as a shared environmental challenge for all five littoral states.
The estimated cost of the project and the precise area to be dredged have not been disclosed.
AZE.US