Illicit Tunnel Construction Linking Caspian and Black Seas Revealed
Astana, Kazakhstan – Azerbaijani businesses have unveiled a highly ambitious plan to construct an underground tunnel linking the Caspian and Black Seas. The tunnel, proposed by ADOG and the International Port of Zira, is designed to grant direct oceanic access to Caspian countries and potentially revolutionize regional trade.
The proposed tunnel, measuring ten meters in diameter, will rely on gravity to transfer water from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea, leveraging the natural elevation differential. If funding can be secured and the feasibility study proves positive, modern technologies make the implementation of this plan feasible.
The proposed tunnel's route is yet to be finalized, but it might traverse either Georgia or Russia before reaching the Caspian Sea. The Azerbaijani companies behind the project are urging interested states to elevate the proposal to the government level for preliminary consultations.
Nurlan Munbayev, a water resources expert, said, "This tunnel would significantly reduce logistics costs, enabling Kazakhstan to export goods such as oil, grain, and metals through the Black Sea, Mediterranean, and Atlantic, thereby reducing dependency on Russian routes or Iranian transit."
The tunnel's primary aim is to counteract the Caspian Sea's increasing shallowness, a problem that has seen the sea's depth fall to its lowest point in 400 years. Researchers in Aktau are already working on grant-funded studies to assess pollution levels, chemical composition, sea currents, and biodiversity in the Caspian Sea.
Environmental measures would accompany the proposed tunnel's construction, including systems for regulating the water volume from the Black Sea. However, experts caution that the project could pose environmental risks to the ecosystems of both seas, necessitating comprehensive international monitoring and biodiversity protection.
Munbayev highlighted the potential disruption to unique biocenosis due to differences in salinity and water levels between the Caspian and Black Seas. He suggested the need for water mass isolation technologies, such as sluice systems, to mitigate these potential risks.
The developers cite the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel currently under construction between Denmark and Germany as a successful example of large-scale underwater infrastructure. If successful, the proposed tunnel could reshape the environmental and economic landscape of the Caspian region, fostering greater regional integration and cooperation.
The Azerbaijani government might consider partnering with environmental-science researchers to mitigate potential risks for ecosystems during the construction of the proposed tunnel, and subsequently, manage the water volume transition from the Black Sea to help preserve biodiversity. With the success of the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel in Europe serving as a benchmark, the implementation of this tunnel could manifest significant advancements in science, industry, and regional finance within the Caspian region.
