Deputy Economy Minister: Georgia’s infrastructure projects to enhance transit, boost cargo flows through Europe-Caucasus-Asia corridor

Georgian Deputy Economy Minister Guram Guramishvili on Wednesday said advancing the country’s infrastructure projects - such as the Anaklia deep sea port, railway modernisation, and the East-West Highway - would bolster its transit and logistics capabilities and amplify cargo flows through the Europe-Caucasus-Asia Transport corridor.

Speaking at a session of the national secretaries of TRASECA - an international transport cooperation programme between the European Union and its partner countries in Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia - Guramishvili underscored its integral role as a platform dedicated to enhancing transport, trade, and economic ties among the member states.

He highlighted “focused efforts” of member countries on advancing transport and logistics infrastructure, which he said he believed would increase the corridor's competitiveness.

During the session, participants engaged in discussions around improving transport connectivity and enhancing the efficiency of border checkpoints within the corridor, as well as digitisation of both rail and road freight operations to streamline processes further.

The Ministry of Economy said the national secretaries reached a consensus on their commitment to “actively pursue” strategies aimed at improving the efficiency and competitiveness of the corridor.

The body added Georgia saw a 3.5 percent increase in land freight in the first 10 months of the year, totalling 23.5 million tonnes for international shipments. Additionally, the country’s seaports processed 11.1 million tonnes of cargo in the same period, marking an eight percent increase from the previous year.

Moreover, the number of containers dispatched from China to Georgia via the Middle Corridor  - a logistics route connecting Central Asia and China to Europe via the South Caucasus through Georgia - reached 10,848 TEU, a 13-fold increase compared to the same period in 2023.

The meeting, chaired by Guramishvili, brought together heads of transport agencies from TRACECA's member countries, along with its General Secretary Asset Assavbayev.