Poti Port Upgrades Now as $300M Deep-Water Terminal Faces Delays

APM Terminals Poti has begun interim expansion measures to handle rising cargo volumes as approval for a long-planned deep-water port project remains pending.

The head of the port's administration, Zviad Chkhartishvili, said the company has launched feasibility studies to dredge the existing port channel, with results expected in the first half of the year. The initiative's goal is to increase throughout within the limits of current infrastructure.

"We are in the research phase and cooperating with all relevant agencies. Our goal is to increase throughout within the boundaries of the existing port," Chkhartishvili said, noting that delays in the new port project have forced the company to pursue short-term solutions.

The expansion steps are described as temporary, driven by the prolonged lack of government approval for the new deep-water terminal, which has been under discussion for more than two years.

"We cannot remain in a constant waiting mode," Chkhartishvili said. "Even with incremental upgrades, the current port's design is outdated: it was built in the early 20th century."

He emphasized that Georgia requires a modern logistics hub capable of serving both the Caucasus and Central Asia, something the existing port infrastructure cannot fully support.

Despite the interim measures, the company maintains that its long-term priority remains the construction of a new deep-water terminal. The estimated $300 million project has been under negotiation between the operator and the Georgian government since 2018 but no final decision has been made.