PM presents multi-functional Anaklia port project

"I believe the Anaklia Port will become one of the main attractions for Georgia and this project will gain historical importance,” said Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at a presentation of a new multi-functional port in Western Georgia.

Garibashvili spoke about the importance of the Port and called it one of the most viable and promising Georgian projects.

"I am delighted that as a result of our work the [project] became realistic. We have worked a lot on this and made a decision to build the Port only after qualified research and a conclusion,” he said at today’s ceremony.

The Prime Minister noted the Anaklia Port would be the shortest route to connect Europe and Asia and said considering the growth of trade flows between the regions, the new Port would bring immense benefits to everyone.

"It is very important that the Anaklia Port will receive large sized so-called Panamax and Post-Panamax ships. The Port will be able to process more than 100 million tons of mixed cargo. This is a really big scale and undoubtedly gives Anaklia the basis to become a crucial logistical hub for Caucasia and Central Asia,” he noted.

Garibashvili stressed that many jobs will be created once the project gets underway. In addition, logistics business will develop, which will not only imply transportation of cargo to other countries, but also processing and adding value to them, as well as creating favourable conditions for exporting Georgian products.

A feasibility study revealed the best place to construct the sea port was at Anaklia, a Black Sea city near Georgia’s Abkhazia region.

As well as construction the Port, development of logistics and industrial zones and construction of an airport and liquid gas terminal are also planned for the region.