Baku (TDI): Marine surveys are now underway to chart the optimal route for the Trans-Caspian fiber-optic cable, a key part of the “Digital Silk Way” project designed to create a high-capacity digital corridor linking Europe and Asia.
The research involves shoreline inspections and detailed mapping of the seabed to determine the shortest, safest, and most environmentally responsible path for the cable.
Work began simultaneously from the Azerbaijani and Kazakhstani shores and is expected to last around four weeks.
AzerTelecom Board Chairman Emil Masimov visited the Turkan research vessel to inspect its technical capabilities and meet the crew and engineering staff. “The Trans-Caspian cable project is moving forward quickly,” Masimov said.
Read More: How OSCE Ensures Central Asian Security: The Case of Tajikistan
“With the start of the marine survey, we are entering a critical construction phase. This will enhance regional connectivity and place the Caspian Sea at the heart of global digital infrastructure. Both Azerbaijani and Kazakh teams are applying state-of-the-art technology and expertise, and I am confident the timeline will be met.”
Stretching 380 kilometers from Sumgayit, Azerbaijan, to Aktau, Kazakhstan, the underwater cable will be capable of transmitting up to 400 terabits per second.
Once in operation, it will significantly boost data exchange between continents. The project is slated for completion by the end of 2026.
Read More: Tajikistan in the New Regional Order of Central Asia
Kazakhtelecom is overseeing the initiative on the Kazakh side, while US-based Pioneer Consulting is providing technical supervision and advisory services.
The Trans-Caspian link is a cornerstone of the wider “Digital Silk Way” vision, which aims to build a modern telecommunications route through Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkiye, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, delivering high-speed, low-latency data connections that foster regional cooperation, digital integration, and sustainable growth.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
