Poti New Seaport expansion strengthens Middle Corridor role, says Pace International president

The Poti new seaport is fully aligned with the challenges of the Middle Corridor and strengthens Georgia’s transit potential, which is particularly important in today’s global context, said Ioseb Dolidze, President of Pace International, during the ceremony marking the beginning of construction of the second phase of the new Poti port jetty.

According to Dolidze, the total value of the project is $130 million. Of this amount, $55 million is contributed by the port’s owning company, Pace International, while the main portion—$75 million—is a long-term loan provided by the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

He noted that this financing represents the largest single infrastructure loan approved by DFC across the Caucasus and Central Asia region, calling it a sign of strong confidence from the U.S. government.

“The second phase envisages the construction of another berth, which will increase the cargo turnover of the new port by one million tons. The new terminal will serve the transportation of mineral fertilizers produced in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Georgia, which is important for the food security of the region and the world.

In total, the new Poti seaport will handle between three and five million tons of cargo. The depth of the port allows it to receive ships of the “Handimax” type, further enhancing the country’s transport infrastructure and attractiveness.

Currently, Pace International Group is the largest transport company in the region, owning the new Poti seaport and operating as a maritime agency, brokerage, logistics provider, container operator, and berth operator. More than a thousand people are employed within the group.

The company has participated in major regional infrastructure projects, including the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Shah Deniz gas pipeline, and the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline, and continues to be involved in related initiatives.

The new Poti seaport is said to fully align with the challenges of the Middle Corridor and to strengthen the transit potential of Georgia, which is especially important in the current geopolitical and economic context,” Dolidze said.