President Kavelashvili: Professionalism and dedication of seafarers are cornerstone of Georgia’s economic strength

“Georgia is reclaiming its historical role and establishing itself as a vital regional trade and transit corridor, a logistics hub, and a platform for peace. In this process, the role of seafarers becomes even more invaluable,” President of Georgia Mikheil Kavelashvili stated during his speech at an event dedicated to the Day of the Seafarer in Batumi.

According to the President, the state’s primary duty is to provide seafarers with conditions that meet modern international standards.

“Today, we celebrate International Day of the Seafarer, a celebration of those individuals whose professionalism, resilience, and dedication form the cornerstone of our country’s economic development and strength. I wish to express my gratitude to each of you, both gathered here and especially to those who, at this very moment, are proudly fulfilling their honourable duty in distant oceans and seas, thousands of kilometres away from home.

Georgia is a country of ancient maritime culture. Our civilisational roots are firmly tied to the Black Sea coast, the Pontus Sea, where the Georgian people have been mastering maritime arts and navigation since antiquity, dating back to the legendary Kingdom of Colchis. Colchian Dioscurias and Phasis were not merely ports; they represented a regional trade crossroads where East met West. For us, the sea has always been and remains a symbol of freedom, development, and intercultural dialogue.

Georgians were not solely a people of mountain and land-based agriculture; since the Colchian civilisation, our country has been an active part of global navigation. Colchian high-capacity vessels enabled long-distance seafaring. During the Golden Age of David the Builder and King Tamar, a powerful Georgian fleet firmly secured not only trade corridors but also our homeland’s maritime borders.

Today, Georgia is reclaiming its historical role, establishing itself as a crucial regional trade and transit corridor, a logistics hub, and a platform for peace. In this process, your role becomes even more invaluable. You are our country’s living ambassadors in global waters, carrying Georgia’s name, flag, and dignity onto the international stage. Being a seafarer is not just a profession; it is a calling that demands exceptional courage, peerless discipline, and the heavy burden of long separations from family. This is precisely why it is the state’s utmost duty to stand firmly behind you and create conditions that meet modern international standards.

With special respect, I salute our veterans. Through their experience, they laid the foundation for our maritime traditions. They passed this knowledge down to the youth who took their oath today and are proudly continuing this grand path with renewed energy.

My dear friends, I congratulate you once again on the Day of the Seafarer. May God protect our homeland,” President Kavelashvili stated.

During the event, President Kavelashvili awarded the Medal of Honour, a state decoration, to several individuals for their exceptional contribution to the nation-building of Georgia and distinguished service:

Nikoloz Ovcharenka, Inspector at the State Supervision and Control Service of Batumi Port under the Maritime Transport Agency;
Lali Khvedelidze, Chancellor and Head of Administration at Batumi Navigation Teaching University;
Mikheil Bajelidze, First Rank Captain and Assistant to the Rector of Batumi State Maritime Academy;
Paata Tabagua, Maritime documentary filmmaker.

According to the President’s administration, the ceremony also featured a swearing-in ceremony for young seafarers.

The Prime Minister of Georgia, the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, and representatives of central and local authorities attended the event alongside the President.