Economy Minister: Swiss-Luxembourger, Chinese-Singaporean companies in selection phase for Anaklia port project

Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Friday said that Swiss-Luxembourger and Chinese-Singaporean companies had moved to the second stage of selection process of a private partner for the Anaklia deep sea port project earmarked for western Georgia’s Black Sea town.

Davitashvili said the two potential partners were internationally “leading and recognised companies”. 

As for the other two bidders, their qualification requirements were not in line with our competition requirements, so they could not proceed to the next stage, which is the proposal stage”, Davitashvili said.

The Minister added the companies that had proceeded would present their proposals “in the “next few months” and following the “competitiveness and quality” of these proposals the Ministry would decide which of them would be the final private partner.

Davitashvili highlighted the Anaklia port, “like any other important critical infrastructure project”, should “serve the interests of Georgia and its economy”, leading to the state having a controlling stake in it.

He also said Russian companies had not participated in the competition.

In order that the interests and influence of Russia or any other state do not dominate, the project is in the interests of Georgia, and we protect our interests as much as possible [...] in contrast to the decisions that we have witnessed in previous years, when critically important infrastructure was transferred to companies from different countries with very irresponsible concession agreements with restrictions on the rights of the state and without the rights of the state”, Davitashvili added.

Davitashvili also said the preliminary estimate for the construction of the port had been updated and the budget for the first phase was $589 million, adding that ₾20 million ($7.44mln) had already been included in the 2023 state budget.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced in February the construction of the port would start this year and the Government would hold a 51 percent share in the project, while bidding for the remaining 49 percent would be opened for international investors.