Relocating Baku Port

The challenge: relocate the port away from Baku’s city centre

Amid rapid economic growth in the Caspian Sea region, Azerbaijan has seen impressive expansion. The Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been investing heavily in redevelopment programmes for infrastructure and economic regeneration.

At the centre of this development is Baku city and its bay, which are being transformed into a modern waterfront development. 
The original port of Baku, situated in the middle of the bay, and other industrial marine infrastructure, would need to be moved away from the city centre and a new port constructed near Alat, to the south of the city. 

The solution: planning designing and engineering services for a new port in Alat

In 2009, the Ministry of Transport of Azerbaijan awarded Royal HaskoningDHV a contract to provide complete design and engineering services for the new port. This included initial site investigations, port master planning, and tender and construction support.

We developed a masterplan, which envisaged a three phase development.  We then carried out the port design for phase one, including site investigation works involving bathymetry, topography, and geotechnical soil investigations; dredging and reclamation works; marine structures; and onshore facilities. We also prepared tender documents for construction and provided some construction supervision.

Construction of the new port commenced in 2010 and was completed in 2018. It comprised of:

• A rail ferry terminal connecting the ports of Aktau, Kazakhstan and Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, to Baku
• RoRo berths for trucks
• A general cargo terminal and cargo handling facilities

In 2018 the Ministry of Economy appointed us to carry out a market study and prepare a masterplan for an expansion to the port (phase two).
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we updated the market study to reflect the changed circumstances and increased demand for transit cargo to travel through Baku. This includes a significant rise in container traffic volume, which until recently has been only a minor part of trade.

With the revised masterplan, the main elements of phase two include:

• A new container terminal with a capacity of around 0.6 million TEU
• A container rail terminal
• Additional fertilizer and grain terminals
• Navigational access to the new berths

We prepared the concept design of the phase two expansion which is being undertaken by a local consultant. We’re also carrying out the Environmental Impact Assessment for the project.

The result: transformation from an industrial bay to a modern waterfront

The new port near Alat is ready to face the future with a proposed expansion in hand. With Baku’s transport hub and other industrial facilities relocated, Baku Bay was given the opportunity to transform from an industrial bay to a modern waterfront and better serve its community. Meanwhile, the area around Alat now has more opportunities to improve its economy and job prospects with the addition of a new port.