The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia on Monday responded to a report in the Armenian media on an alleged launch of regular sea freight links between Georgia’s Black Sea city of Batumi and the Russian port of Novorossiysk last month.
The body said the information had been “interpreted” in the press and did “not correspond to the truth”, after a shipment of cargo between the ports was reported.
Confirming a Palau-flagged ship had made two commercial trips between the two ports in April, the Agency said the freight had been designated for Armenia.
However, it also said the owner company was not on the list of entities sanctioned in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and rejected the claim on launch of regular sea traffic between the harbours.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday also responded to a media question about the report by saying he had no information on the specific claim.
However, he added “no fact, or even a credible rumour” of violations of international sanctions on Russia through the territory of Georgia had been established since the start of hostilities in Ukraine.