- Georgian ports nearly double throughput: Combined port traffic rose from 13 million tons in 2022 to a record 25 million tons via Batumi alone in 2025, underscoring Georgia’s emergence as a key grain transit corridor.
- Rail bypass boosts capacity and speed: A new bypass route through the pass has increased Georgian railway capacity and reduced transit times for Kazakh grain shipments to Europe.
- Weather disruptions remain a bottleneck: Delays at ports and ferry crossings due to adverse weather continue to pose operational risks and require coordinated, high-level solutions.
- Middle Corridor competitiveness improves: A 92% volume increase since 2022 highlights the growing appeal of the Trans-Caspian route for Central Asian exporters versus traditional Russian and Ukrainian routes.
Georgia’s Growing Role in Kazakhstan–Europe Grain Transit
Georgia is strengthening its position as a strategic transit hub for Kazakhstani agricultural exports to Europe, according to Jondari Kemularia, Executive Director of Marine Shipping and Forwarding. Speaking at the KAZAKH GRAIN & LOGISTIC FORUM in Almaty on February 4, Kemularia emphasized the rapid expansion of freight volumes moving through Georgian infrastructure.
Combined traffic through the ports of Poti and Batumi totaled around 13 million tons in 2022, increased by 7% in 2024, and then surged to a record 25 million tons through Batumi alone in 2025. This nearly doubles throughput capacity in just three years and signals a structural shift in regional grain logistics.
Infrastructure Upgrades and Operational Standards
The completion of a new bypass route through the pass has expanded Georgian railway capacity and shortened transit times for grain shipments. Both Poti and Batumi are investing in additional handling capabilities for grain crops, oversized cargo, and containerized freight, aligning infrastructure with rising demand from Central Asian exporters.
Kemularia underscored the need to maintain strict standards in agricultural product transportation, particularly adherence to transit schedules, preservation of grain quality, and overall stability of the logistics corridor. These factors are critical for Kazakhstan’s ability to reliably access European markets through the Georgian gateway.
Weather Risks and Black Sea Logistics Outlook
Despite the rapid build-out of capacity, weather-induced delays at ports and ferry crossings remain a persistent challenge. These disruptions represent a key operational bottleneck and, according to Kemularia, require coordinated intervention at senior decision-making levels to ensure predictable transit flows.
From a market perspective, the expansion of Georgian transit capacity is neutral to bullish for Black Sea logistics. For Kazakhstan, it enhances the viability of the Middle Corridor to European destinations, diversifying routes beyond traditional Russian and Ukrainian pathways. The 92% increase in volume since 2022 demonstrates the corridor’s growing competitiveness for Central Asian grain exports and introduces additional capacity and routing flexibility for Black Sea freight markets. Traders and logistics operators should track Georgian port utilization rates as a key indicator of evolving Caspian-to-Mediterranean trade flows.
Source: Market Data
Leave a Reply