Georgian Deputy Economy Minister: interest in Anaklia Port at unprecedentedly high level

Georgian Deputy Economy Minister Tamar Ioseliani on Friday said interest in Georgia’s Anaklia Deep Sea Port was at an unprecedentedly high level, noting that the landlord model would enable the state to own and develop the port while attracting investors and operators to contribute cargo, expertise and investment.

Speaking about progress on the Anaklia Deep Sea Port project, Ioseliani said the Government had restructured the development process around the landlord model, which she described as one of the most widely used approaches to port management worldwide.

“Interest in the Anaklia Deep Sea Port is at an unprecedentedly high level, and the landlord model allows the state to own and develop the port while attracting investors and operators capable of bringing cargo, expertise and investment”, she said.

She noted that the model was one of the most widely used and well-established approaches to port management globally, with approximately 80% of ports developed under similar arrangements.

“We have already restructured the entire process around developing the port under this model. Construction is currently underway at the Anaklia Deep Sea Port site. Belgian company Jan De Nul is carrying out the construction work to build a 1 400-metre breakwater and deepen the port’s water area to 17.5 metres, enabling us to accommodate deep-sea vessels and large-tonnage ships”, Ioseliani noted.

The Deputy Economy Minister added that the project was progressing according to schedule and that a market survey for railway construction had been announced the previous day, with the aim of launching an international tender by the end of the year.

“The railway has completed the design work, and we are now moving on to the construction phase. This is crucial to connecting Anaklia to transport networks. Work is also underway on road connections. In addition, we plan to develop a free industrial zone to create the ecosystem necessary for a transport hub”, she concluded.