Int'l consulting company MTBS to update freight forecast, business model for Anaklia project
MTBS will also develop a new marketing strategy and select the optimal model of public-private partnership as part of the contract signed today with the Anaklia Deep Sea Port Development Agency. Photo: Anaklia Port.
Tweet 
Share
The international consulting company Maritime & Transport Business Solutions (MTBS) will update the freight forecast and business model for the Anaklia deep sea port project in about eight-nine weeks, announces the Ministry of Economy of Georgia.
MTBS will also develop a new marketing strategy and select the optimal model of public-private partnership as part of the contract signed today with the Anaklia Deep Sea Port Development Agency.
Deputy Economy Minister Guram Guramishvili said that by the end of this year it will be possible to announce an expression of interest and to select a new investor for 'the crucial and strategic project'.
In order to select a new investor, an expression of interest will be announced at the end of the current year", Guramishvili said.
Anaklia deep sea port is planned to be built in the western Georgian town of Anaklia and to be able to accept ships with a capacity of up to 10,000 containers.
The Anaklia port is expected to significantly increase the transit potential of Georgia, as it will open the way for the transit of goods between Central Asia and Europe.
The Anaklia Development Consortium (ADC), the company originally selected by the government of Georgia to develop the Anaklia Port project, has released a statement today which claims the government ran a campaign ‘to undermine the project by dissuading potential project investors, lenders, contractors and suppliers from joining the project in order to kill it'.
Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava has commented on the Anaklia Development Consortium’s decision to file arbitration claim against Georgia and said that the consortium is trying to politicise the issue and prevent the government from finding a new investor.
The Anaklia Development Consortium and major foreign investor Bob Meyer have filed independent arbitration claims against Georgia on July 29 over their infringed rights in the Anaklia Port project.
US congressman Adam Kinzinger says that he believes in the government of Georgia when they say the Anaklia deep sea port project is important for them, and has thus urged the government to allow American investments into the port project as soon as possible during an interview with the Georgian bureau of Voice of America.
Over 3 billion GEL (about $0.95 bln/€0.80 bln) will be invested in transport infrastructure in the next 10 years, Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava has announced while presenting Georgia’s new 10-year economic development strategy earlier today.
The audit results of the International Port Security Programme shows that the United States considers Georgia a safe maritime trading partner, and the cargo and ships handled in Georgian ports are known to be safe in US ports, announces the Georgian Maritime Transport Agency.