ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan. – Turkmenistan has commissioned a new dry cargo vessel, Gadamly, in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s transport and transit capacity across the Caspian Sea region.
The vessel, constructed at the Balkan Shipyard in Turkmenbashi in partnership with South Korea’s Koryo Shipbuilding Industry Technology, is designed to transport dry cargo and has a carrying capacity of 6,100 tons. According to the Turkmenistan State News Agency (TDH), the ship can accommodate up to 240 containers weighing 20 tons each.
The official commissioning ceremony took place on May 8 at the Turkmenbashi International Seaport and was attended by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
Situated on the Caspian coast, the Turkmenbashi seaport serves as a strategic hub on the East-West and North-South transport corridors that pass through Turkmenistan.
Addressing the ceremony, Berdimuhamedov highlighted the country’s ongoing efforts to expand its international transit capabilities and modernize its maritime sector. He said Turkmenistan plays an important role in developing transnational transport corridors linking East and West, as well as North and South.
The president noted that the country has established an extensive transport and logistics network, including modern railways, highways, international airports, and the Turkmenbashi International Seaport, adding that these initiatives are part of broader efforts to revive the historic Silk Road in a modern format.
Berdimuhamedov also announced that another cargo vessel, Menzil, is expected to enter service later this year in cooperation with South Korean partners, further expanding the capacity of Turkmenistan’s commercial maritime fleet.
