Inland Container Depot of the Year / 2016 / Afghanistan
Ghazanfar Port is a privately operated inland dry port located in Balkh Province in northern Afghanistan, near the strategic border town of Hairatan, which serves as the country’s principal gateway to Uzbekistan and Central Asia. The facility is owned and managed by the Ghazanfar Group, a diversified Afghan enterprise with interests spanning logistics, energy, banking, and infrastructure. Its location places it at the center of Afghanistan’s most important northern trade corridor, linking the country directly to regional rail networks.
Established in 2010, the port was developed to address the structural challenges of Afghanistan’s landlocked geography by creating a reliable and efficient logistics platform for international trade. Situated approximately 75 kilometers from Mazar-e-Sharif, Ghazanfar Port is connected to the Uzbekistan rail system through a short rail link, enabling seamless cross-border cargo movement and positioning it as a critical interface between Central Asian rail freight and Afghanistan’s road transport network.
The port operates as a multimodal logistics hub, facilitating the transfer of goods between rail and road systems at scale. It is capable of handling dozens of rail wagons simultaneously and processing a significant volume of rail carriages daily, supporting the steady flow of imports into Afghanistan. Through this capacity, the port has become a key conduit for essential commodities entering the country, including petroleum products, liquefied petroleum gas, construction materials, and general cargo.
Its infrastructure includes a combination of open yards and covered storage facilities, supported by customs processing areas and administrative offices that enable streamlined cargo handling and clearance. The port is also closely integrated with energy infrastructure in the Hairatan area, including fuel storage facilities, reinforcing its role in the national supply chain for petroleum products.
Beyond basic cargo handling, Ghazanfar Port provides end-to-end logistics services that encompass cargo reception, storage, customs coordination, and inland distribution. These services are delivered in coordination with broader logistics operations, ensuring that goods arriving at the border are efficiently moved into domestic markets.
Operating over more than a decade in a complex and often volatile environment, Ghazanfar Port has maintained continuity and relevance as one of Afghanistan’s most strategic logistics assets. It continues to play a vital role in facilitating trade flows between Afghanistan and Central Asia, contributing to improved connectivity, supply chain resilience, and economic activity across the region.
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