Central Asia faces logistics and infrastructure gaps

Central Asia is experiencing a growing disconnect between its expanding industrial and trade roles and its existing logistics infrastructure. As the region seeks to facilitate trade between China and Europe via alternative routes that bypass Russia, significant gaps have emerged in both warehouse availability and air cargo capacity.

In Kazakhstan, the warehouse market shows a mismatch between supply and demand. While the national vacancy rate for modern Class A warehouses is approximately 5%, specific regions face acute shortages. Astana reportedly lacks between 350,000 and 400,000 square meters of modern space, while Almaty saw vacancy rates reach 13.3% in May 2026. This imbalance creates increased costs for freight operators and financing risks for investors.

Simultaneously, the region faces an estimated $33 billion annual requirement for infrastructure to support its growing mining, energy, and manufacturing sectors. Industry experts note that while connectivity is improving, there is a critical shortage of specialized air cargo capacity. The demand is increasingly driven by internal regional growth rather than just transit, requiring specific aircraft types and specialized airport ground handling to move heavy or oversized project cargo.