The Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Tamar Ioseliani, inspected the new maritime port of “APM Terminal Poti” and “Pace Group” Poti and the renewed infrastructure of Batumi seaport, and got to know the plans for the development of the port.
According to Tamar Ioseliani, the number of incoming ships and received cargo has increased in Georgia – according to the indicators of 9 months of 2025, the number of ships entering Batumi and Poti harbors has increased significantly compared to the similar period of the previous year, and the tonnage of incoming ships has also increased.
It should be noted that in the period of January-September 2025, 567,577 TEUs were processed in Georgian ports, which is an increase of about 20% compared to the similar period of 2024. A 12 percent increase in general cargoes was recorded during the accounting period.
The Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development got acquainted with the state of local infrastructure and work processes at the Batumi Railway Savagon Depot.
As Tamar Ioseliani noted, the demand for the middle corridor route is increasing, as shown by the relevant statistics: in the 9th month of 2025, the number of containers shipped from China and through Georgia to China is more than 39.9% compared to the similar period of 2024 and the number of cargoes shipped by import by rail increased by 10.8%, including, the increase has been seen by the railway also in the amount of containers shipped.
According to Tamar Ioseliani, following the reform planned for the modernization and sustainability of the railway, the middle corridor will bring even bigger economic prosperity to the country.
During the visit to the ports, the maritime safety and security of the marine transport, personnel training activities, and plans were also discussed. According to Tamar Ioseliani, high-quality education will directly affect the competitiveness of Georgian sailors in the international labor market, and the sailors’ labor market is in direct connection with professionalism and the level of the education system. The Deputy Minister emphasized the efforts of the Georgian government to further improve the curriculum to facilitate employment for Georgian sailors in international shipping companies.
The meeting emphasized the importance of applying modern technologies and innovations in the process of training maritime personnel at Batumi State Maritime Academy and its Poti Branch. As the Deputy Minister noted, more emphasis should be given to both schools in full compliance with the modern demands of learning processes. According to Tamar Ioseliani, the maritime sector and the maritime industry are constantly evolving, and the labor market has a demand for new professions or more skilled workers, which require constant updating of the curriculum.
Along with the Deputy Minister, Ivane Abashidze, Director of the Maritime Transport Agency, and Lasha Abashidze, the General Director of Georgian Railways, were present in Batumi and Poti.
