Rapid declines in the Caspian Sea’s water level are creating economic and environmental challenges in Azerbaijan, officials warn. Ports and oil shipments are being affected, while sturgeon and seal populations face severe threats.
Azerbaijan’s Deputy Ecology Minister Rauf Hajiyev said the sea has been gradually shallowing for decades, but the trend is accelerating. “Its level has fallen by nearly one metre in the past five years, 1.5 metres over the last decade, and 2.5 metres over 30 years,” Hajiyev said, estimating an annual drop of 20–30 cm, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
“The retreat of the coastline changes natural conditions, disrupts economic activity, and creates new challenges for sustainable development,” he added. Hajiyev represents Azerbaijan in a joint working group with Russia, which plans to approve a monitoring and response program in September.
The falling water level is complicating port operations and reducing cargo capacity. About 4 million people live along Azerbaijan’s Caspian coast, with some 15 million in the wider region. Ships are facing increased difficulties navigating Baku’s port, raising logistics costs.
Oil transportation through the Dubendi terminal fell to 810,000 tons in the first half of 2025, down from 880,000 tons last year, according to Eldar Salakhov, director of the Baku International Sea Port. Extensive dredging has been necessary to maintain operations, including the construction of a new dredging vessel, Engineer Soltan Kazimov, capable of deepening the seabed to 18 metres.
The retreating waters are destroying wetlands, lagoons, and reed beds, threatening marine life. Sturgeon, prized for their caviar, are losing up to 45% of their summer and autumn habitats and are being cut off from spawning rivers. Caspian seals also face habitat loss; a five-metre drop in sea level could wipe out 81% of their breeding sites, and a ten-metre drop would leave them nearly without suitable areas, Hajiyev said.
Russia attributes the decline mainly to climate change, while Azerbaijan also cites the impact of dams on the Volga River, which supplies 80% of the Caspian’s inflow.
