A new marine multimodal container terminal has begun
operations in the Georgian port of Poti. The project is a joint initiative
between Kazakhstan and its Georgian and Azerbaijani partners. The facility has
become an important part of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route,
which connects China and Europe via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia through
the Caspian and Black Seas. At the initial stage, the terminal’s throughput
capacity is expected to exceed 120,000 tonnes per year, according to experts.
There are plans to increase this volume in the future. Designed to
international standards, the terminal is equipped with state-of-the-art
infrastructure.
«We have built a cutting-edge terminal that meets the latest
requirements of Georgian legislation - including fire suppression systems,
environmental standards, and engineering network regulations. As a newly
established enterprise, we fully complied with all of these standards. Our
equipment includes Austrian-made reach stackers and gantry cranes imported from
China. They operate at high speeds - in fact, there are no equivalents in Poti
or elsewhere in the South Caucasus. Our
container gantry cranes can handle up to 25 containers per hour,» said Olzhas
Arykbayev, General Director at Poti Transterminal.
The launch of the terminal in Poti marks an important step
toward achieving Kazakhstan's strategic goal of increasing cargo traffic along
the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. This development is directly aligned with
the objectives set by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to expand and strengthen
this route. The Head of State stated that Kazakhstan aims to double container
shipments along the Trans-Caspian corridor within three years.
«Last year we transported 4.5 million tonnes via the
Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, marking an increase of more than
60%. Over the next three years, we plan to raise this volume to 10 million
tonnes, including approximately 300,000 TEUs annually. The main cargo flows
will move from China to Europe, and the port of Poti - along with the new
terminal - will be instrumental in handling this traffic,» said Kassym Tlepov,
Deputy Chairman of the Committee at the Kazakh Ministry of Transport.
Analysts estimate that the initial economic effects of the
first multimodal terminal in Georgia will be visible within six months.
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