After years of delay, Georgia’s Anaklia deep-sea port is being relaunched under a new model, which the government claims will protect national interests. Yet, following nearly a decade marked by political controversy, failed partnerships, and international disputes, the latest announcement prompts a familiar question: Is Anaklia finally emerging as a truly strategic infrastructure project, or is it still being shaped by shifting geopolitical calculations?
Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili announced this week that the port will be developed using the widely adopted “landlord” model. Under this approach, the Georgian state will retain exclusive ownership of the port’s main infrastructure while permitting several foreign companies to operate terminals through long-term lease agreements.
This announcement represents a clear shift from the government’s previous plan, which anticipated a Chinese-Singaporean consortium acquiring a 49% stake in the project. Despite officials maintaining that talks with the consortium are still “friendly,” more than a year has passed without a finalized investment agreement.
What’s new?
The revised plan includes several key changes:
- The Georgian state will retain full ownership of the port’s core maritime infrastructure.
- The government will fund the construction of breakwaters, key port facilities, and the railway and road links to Anaklia.
- Private investors will be responsible for financing and operating the container and bulk cargo terminals through lease agreements.
- The first vessel is expected to dock in 2029.
- Companies from Western countries interested in the project will be announced soon, according to officials.
Minister Kvrivishvili emphasized that this model enables Georgia to collaborate with multiple international partners rather than relying on a single investor, while maintaining state ownership of what she called a strategic national asset.
The government also reiterated its openness to investment from countries involved in the Middle Corridor — including China, Azerbaijan, and Central Asian states — while insisting that the revised approach serves Georgia’s national interests.
Why Anaklia matters
Currently, Georgia relies on two Black Sea ports — Poti and Batumi. However, both suffer from shallow waters, which prevent larger vessels from docking and leave them at a disadvantage compared to deeper Turkish and Russian Black Sea ports.
The construction of Anaklia would be a game-changer. The new deep-water port is designed to accommodate ships carrying up to 10,000 containers — vastly exceeding the current capacity at Poti, which is limited to vessels holding around 1,500 containers.
Beyond economics, Anaklia’s development would help Georgia further align itself with the West and NATO. The port’s proximity to the Russian border means it could one day host NATO vessels, strengthening Georgia’s security posture. Situated on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, Anaklia would be the country’s first true deep-water port — capable of handling the largest container ships that enter the Black Sea.
The Anaklia project is also seen as critical to developing the Middle Corridor — a trade route linking China and Central Asia with Europe through the South Caucasus. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has disrupted traditional transport routes, making the corridor even more strategically and commercially significant.
For Georgia, Anaklia has long been promoted as both an economic and geopolitical project — one that could cement the country’s status as a vital regional logistics hub.
U.S. Interest Returns
The government’s latest announcement comes just months after the Anaklia port project was presented to Peter Andreoli, a representative from the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, during his visit to Georgia.
The briefing brought together key figures from Anaklia Sea Port LLC, Georgian Railway, and the Maritime Transport Agency. The Ministry of Economy underscored Anaklia’s status as a strategic project and highlighted Georgian Railways’ role as a vital link in the Middle Corridor trade route.
Yet, not everyone sees the renewed focus as purely strategic. Former Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli argues that the government’s approach is motivated more by political bargaining than long-term vision.
“Georgian Dream has kept the Anaklia card in reserve to play when needed. They see the port as a bargaining chip with international partners. If genuine interest from the United States aligns with Georgian Dream’s political objectives, Anaklia becomes important to them. What does not concern Georgian Dream is Anaklia’s geopolitical significance,” Khidasheli told Batumelebi following Andreoli’s visit.
What is the landlord model
The landlord model is one of the world’s most common forms of port management.
Under this system:
- The state owns the land, maritime infrastructure and strategic assets;
- The government regulates and develops the port;
- Private companies lease terminals, invest in equipment and buildings, and operate cargo handling activities;
- Ownership remains public, while commercial operations are carried out by private operators.
Governments often use this model to retain control over strategically important infrastructure while attracting private investment and operational expertise.
This model is used by many of the world’s busiest ports, including the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium, the Port of Hamburg in Germany, and the Port of Singapore. It is designed to combine public control over strategic infrastructure with private-sector investment and operational expertise.
Anaklia: A Timeline
2010 – President Mikheil Saakashvili unveils an ambitious plan to transform Anaklia into Georgia’s first deep-sea port and to build the new city of Lazika, aiming to establish the Black Sea town as a major regional logistics hub.
2012 – After the Georgian Dream party comes to power, both the Anaklia and Lazika projects are shelved—along with many other initiatives of the previous government.
2016 – Georgian Dream revives Anaklia as the “Project of the Century.” The government awards the contract to the Anaklia Development Consortium (ADC), a Georgian-American partnership led by TBC Holding and U.S.-based Conti International, together with British, Dutch, and Bulgarian partners.
2019 – Prosecutors launch a money-laundering investigation against TBC founders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze. The consortium denounces the case as politically motivated, arguing it undermined investor confidence. In August, U.S. partner Conti International pulls out of the project.
2020 – The government terminates the investment agreement, citing ADC’s failure to secure financing. The consortium accuses the government of deliberate sabotage. ADC pursues international arbitration, but in 2024, the government ultimately prevails. Construction remains frozen.
2024 – The government selects a Chinese-Singaporean consortium led by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) as the sole final bidder to acquire a 49% stake in Anaklia. That same year, Belgian dredging firm Jan De Nul is awarded the contract to build the port’s maritime infrastructure.
2024–2026 – Negotiations with the Chinese consortium stall, and no final investment agreement materializes—fueling speculation about the project’s future.
July 2026 – The government abandons the previous ownership model and announces that Anaklia will be built under the landlord model. The state will keep 100% ownership of the core maritime infrastructure, while multiple international operators will lease and manage the terminals. The first ship is now expected to dock in 2029.
U.S. Diplomats Visit Georgia Port Project as Sole Chinese–Singaporean Bid Awaits Award
