Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili announced that the Anaklia Deep-Sea Port will process at least one million TEU by 2035, positioning Georgia as a Black Sea hub for Central Asian cargo. She spoke at the Second Investors' Forum for the Trans-Caspian Corridor in Tashkent under the EU's Global Gateway initiative, reported Georgia's Business Media.

The project's first phase is expected to reach 600,000 TEU by 2029. Rising transit demand, stronger private-sector interest and deeper EU-Georgia connectivity are seen as favourable conditions for expanding strategic maritime infrastructure.

Ms Kvrivishvili warned that Georgia's lack of a deep-water port remains a major obstacle, despite record container volumes. Progress has also been slowed by unresolved talks with Chinese state corporation CCCC, named preferred investor in May 2024 but still not finalised.

She cited further challenges such as limited ferry links with EU ports and non-harmonised customs procedures, which raise transit costs. She proposed full digitisation and data sharing to streamline cargo movement.

The minister pointed to the Caspian Sea-Black Sea transport agreement, due to be signed in December by Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Romania, as a step toward a new multimodal link between the Caspian region and the EU.

Looking ahead, Georgia plans transport upgrades by 2026, including renewing railway rolling stock, completing the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and introducing unified digital services. By 2032, the country intends to invest US$7 billion in transport and logistics infrastructure, with Ms Kvrivishvili stressing coordinated public and private financing will be vital.