Why Black Sea’s Anaklia port is becoming a strategic necessity Article by Vladimir Tskhvediani

The Anaklia deep-sea port project, which had been stalled for several years over the unresolved issue of a “strategic” investor, has now gained fresh momentum. A specialised vessel operated by Belgian company Jan De Nul has begun dredging operations in the port’s waters and is creating an access channel to accommodate large container ships.

To accelerate construction of the port while taking into account the constraints of the state budget, the Georgian government took steps this spring to streamline its contract with the company overseeing the construction. The move reduced the project’s cost by 25%, or $52.5 million.

The government also decided to adopt a landlord port model, under which the Georgian government will retain control over key infrastructure while allowing the port to be developed in cooperation with multiple countries and companies.

The port is currently being financed by the Georgian state budget, despite doubts until recently over whether the government had the resources to deliver the project on its own. However, Georgia’s economy has continued to expand at an unusually strong pace. Real GDP grew by 7.9% in the first half of 2026 from a year earlier, following annual growth of between 7.5% and 11% over the previous four years. The resulting increase in government revenues has given Tbilisi the financial capacity to move forward with the project independently.

At the same time, there had been widespread doubts that the Georgian government would be able to attract investors willing to participate in the project under the landlord port model. It is now becoming clear, however, that the challenge may be less about finding investors and more about selecting those whose participation best aligns with Georgia’s geopolitical interests.

The need for the Anaklia port is enormous, and given the current situation with shipping in the Black Sea, the port is arguably long overdue and should have been operational “yesterday.”

The sharp escalation of military risks in the eastern Black Sea has created an urgent need for international shipping companies to find alternatives to Russian ports, particularly Novorossiysk.

At the same time, carriers operating through Russian Black Sea ports have raised freight rates three- to fourfold amid growing security risks linked to drone attacks on Russian vessels.

Starting August 4, NovoGlobe Line introduced an additional security surcharge of $1,000 per TEU for shipments to Novorossiysk and $500 per TEU for cargo departing from the port. By comparison, just a few months ago, shipping a 20-foot container (TEU) on this route cost no more than $400.

“These surcharges apply to cargo already in transit to or from the affected area, including containers currently at transhipment hubs awaiting onward shipment,” NovoGlobe Line said in an official statement.

Alpha Shipping also announced additional surcharges, charging $1,000 per container for shipments to Novorossiysk and $500 for shipments in the opposite direction. Marmed Container Services introduced a $1,000 surcharge in both directions, while M-Line imposed an additional $750 per TEU on all cargo transported through the Black Sea.

If the situation continues to deteriorate, maritime traffic to Russian ports could be brought to a complete standstill. For example, shipping group FESCO has temporarily suspended the acceptance of new bookings for cargo transported through the Black Sea pending decisions that take into account the increased security risks. The move came after its vessel Yanina was sunk on the night of August 1, about 130 miles from Novorossiysk.

Thus, the escalating situation in the Black Sea is forcing market participants to seek alternatives to Novorossiysk, driving a sharp increase in demand for logistics services through Georgian ports, which are already operating close to capacity.

Much of the cargo bound for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan that previously passed through Novorossiysk and then travelled across Russia is now being rerouted through the Georgian ports of Batumi and Poti, before continuing through Georgia and Azerbaijan and across the Caspian Sea

Against this backdrop, the Georgian government has placed even greater emphasis on ensuring the stable operation of the country’s port infrastructure. On August 6, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, together with Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili and Zurab Pataradze, head of the government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, visited the mineral fertiliser terminal and container terminal at the Port of Batumi.

“Cargo turnover at the Port of Batumi has reached a record high. Based on the results of the first seven months, we can confidently say that this year will be a record year for the Port of Batumi in terms of cargo turnover. We must do everything possible to ensure that our port infrastructure continues to develop as efficiently as possible. The Port of Poti is also very important. We are actively working on developing the infrastructure of the Port of Anaklia. The arrival of the first vessels at the Port of Anaklia and the completion of the design work for the first phase are already scheduled for 2029,” Kobakhidze said, once again underscoring the strategic importance of implementing the project as quickly as possible.

At the same time, the logistics capacity of the ports of Batumi and Poti is clearly insufficient. The depth at the berths of the container terminal at the Port of Batumi does not exceed 11.5 metres, while the main berths at the container terminal in Poti are even shallower, at just 8.5 metres. By comparison, the berths at Novorossiysk’s main container terminal have a depth of 15 metres.

Therefore, only the deep-water Port of Anaklia can provide a full-scale alternative to Novorossiysk. Moreover, the availability of such a port is one of the key prerequisites for the full operation of the Middle Corridor.