The port, designed to boost logistical connectivity between Central Asia and Europe, is part of Georgia’s broader strategy to enhance its transport and logistics capabilities.
Photo: bm.ge
Levan Davitashvili, the Georgian Dream party’s candidate for Minister of Economy, announced on Wednesday that the Anaklia deep sea port is expected to begin operations by 2029 at the latest.
The port, designed to boost logistical connectivity between Central Asia and Europe, is part of Georgia’s broader strategy to enhance its transport and logistics capabilities, The Caspian Post reports, citing Georgian media.
Speaking at a joint committee meeting at the Parliament of Georgia, Davitashvili noted the project was part of the Government’s “strategic efforts” to fully leverage the country’s transport and logistics potential, and aimed at enhancing competitiveness and fostering sustainable transport links for improved economic integration.
He said the selection process for a private partner to develop the port was in its final stages and backed by an investment of $600 million, with plans for the facility to eventually handle 600,000 containers annually.
The ministerial candidate highlighted the increasing activity in new freight transportation along the country’s routes, and highlighted the Middle Corridor, a logistics route connecting Central Asia and China to Europe via the South Caucasus through Georgia.
He noted seaports in the country’s Black Sea Poti and Batumi cities had processed a total of 701,442 TEU in 2023, marking a 47 percent increase compared to the previous year.
To strengthen transport connections with the European Union, ongoing initiatives involve establishment of direct ferry lines to Bulgaria and Romania and enhancement of traffic intensity on the Black Sea, he added.
The candidate also addressed the domestic railway modernisation project, which he said aimed to boost the network’s annual freight capacity from 27 million to 48 million tonnes, with potential for expansion to 100 million tonnes following installation of an automatic blocking system. He noted the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, a vital segment of the Middle Corridor, was also nearing completion.
Energy independence and security were identified as key priorities in Davitashvili's vision for the Government’s energy policy. He lauded the past 12 years of energy development, citing the “successful” construction of 63 hydroelectric power stations with a combined capacity of up to 800 megawatts, alongside the establishment of two “modern” thermal power plants.
Efforts to utilise renewable energy resources are also underway, with developments in hydro, wind, and solar energy generation, he said.
Davitashvili also pointed to improvements in the Government programme on providing new access to the natural gas supply in rural areas, which he said had provided nearly 92 percent of households with natural gas access, calling the figure “one of the highest rates globally”.
Plans for delivering natural gas and electricity to new households will continue, he said, targeting over 600 settlements over the next four years and aiming to ensure access to the resource for 95 percent of households in total.
One of the standout projects highlighted by the official was that for the Black Sea submarine cable, for establishment of a new transmission route to deliver green energy from the South Caucasus to Europe. The project is anticipated to be completed by 2030 and expected to enable Georgia to directly export electricity to European countries.
Davitashvili concluded by underscoring ongoing legislative improvements in energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors, as well as the legal framework governing oil and gas operations.
