Ashgabat—Turkmenistan's maritime agency reported a significant increase in the number of passengers transported via its State Service of Maritime and River Transport (Turkmendenizderyaellary) from January through September 2024, reaching 139,140 passengers. This marks a 15.12 percent increase from the previous month, indicating a growing reliance on maritime services in the country.

According to Trend News Agency, the agency's financial data also reflects positive growth, with income from January to September 2024 totaling $111,259, up 12.14 percent from the previous month's $99,218. Similarly, expenses for the same period rose to $64,543, showing a 12.88 percent increase from $57,180 in the previous month.

In 2023, the agency had transported 156,565 persons, with revenues amounting to $139,172 and expenses totaling $67,805. The Turkmenistan Shipping Agency, established on August 5, 1992, plays a crucial role in state management of commercial shipping and has been pivotal in developing sea and river transport, enhancing cargo transportation, and ensuring the safety of fleets and ports.

With the economy showing signs of growth and a boom in export-import traffic, Turkmenistan is focused on increasing traffic volumes and enhancing transportation services from 2019 to 2025. This includes investments in new vessels to strengthen the maritime fleet's competitiveness.