Head of ruling party election staff: Anaklia deep sea port project, railway modernisation, Black Sea submarine cable project, airports’ expansion to boost connectivity

Irakli Kobakhidze, the Head of the ruling Georgian Dream party election staff and the Prime Minister of the country, on Monday discussed several major infrastructure projects that are set to “significantly” impact Georgia’s economic development and connectivity, while presenting the party’s election programme ahead of the October 26 parliamentary elections.

Kobakhidze announced the first phase of the Anaklia deep sea port project - earmarked to be built in Georgia’s Black Sea town to ensure increased logistical capability between Asia and Europe - was expected to be completed by 2029, with the port receiving its first ships by the same year.

He said an agreement had already been signed with the Chinese-Singaporean consortium, while the Belgian company would start working directly on deepening the port.

The port will have a capacity of 600,000 containers per year, with an initial investment of $600 million. This is also a significant project for economic growth”, the Prime Minister said.

In addition to the port project, Kobakhidze also discussed the railway modernisation project, which would be completed in the near future, saying it was “crucial” for improving connectivity.

Capacity will be increased from 27 million to 48 million tonnes. This project is also of key importance for the development of our transit function",  Kobakhidze noted.

The PM also highlighted the Black Sea submarine cable international project that aims to create a new transmission route to deliver green energy from the South Caucasus to Europe.

We are actively working on the development of the project, which will facilitate the transmission of electricity and internet connectivity. The total length of this cable is 1,155 km, and the project is scheduled to be completed by 2030”, he said.

Once completed, this cable will enable faster internet connectivity to the European infrastructure and provide us with the opportunity to export electricity to Europe. This project is of great importance, and we are partnering with Romania, Azerbaijan, and Hungary for its implementation”, Kobakhidze added.

We have a very ambitious goal to make Georgia a fully self-sufficient and independent country in terms of electricity by 2030. This also has a political impact, as the more independent you are in economic and energy terms, the stronger the state sovereignty is, and this goal, set by our Government, is absolutely realistic”, he said.

Kobakhidze noted the total generation capacity in the country had been 3,359 megawatts in 2012, and it was projected to increase to 4,600 megawatts by 2024.

He said currently, Georgia imported electricity “almost every month”, but the goal was to no longer depend on imports by 2030 and even become a net exporter of electricity to other countries.

Kobakhidze also provided data on the progress achieved, mentioning the construction of 63 hydroelectric power plants, two thermal power plants, and one wind power plant. He highlighted the “significant” growth in electricity generation capacity, projecting that by 2028, the output would exceed 8,000 MW and by 2030, it would exceed 10,000 MW, allowing Georgia to achieve “absolute independence” in terms of electricity.

Furthermore, he emphasised the need for infrastructure for the increasing flow of passengers and announced plans for the construction of a new international airport in the capital city of Tbilisi, projected to receive 18 million passengers.

The PM also unveiled plans for expanding the western Kutaisi International Airport, expected to accommodate five million passengers, up from its current capacity of 1.7 million.